


Acetone-Based Ink

by Novicsink



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: AU, BATIM, Bendy!Henry, Boris is Wally, Gen, Might Get Gory, about the same amount of violence shown in the horror game, accidentally angst, bendy - Freeform, no non canon pairings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2019-07-24 13:13:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 37,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16175792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Novicsink/pseuds/Novicsink
Summary: An au where the horrors of the studio are VERY much real. And where Henry gets turned into a little Bendy...But where's the ink demon?





	1. Acetone Makes the Ink Bleed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who's whispering?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending of this will be very much different than in the game.
> 
> Also I'm warning you now, I like to edit my work after I post, so after updates it might be wise to wait an hour or so before reading.

_Splash!_

White hands slammed onto the wooden floor, bracing the being that crawled out of the river of ink behind him.

“Ugh…” He rubbed his head feeling sore. Though it was an odd sort of pain, like it hit every fiber of his being, he felt that his lungs should be heaving but they weren’t. Where was he?

He opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings, vaguely remembering that he was at the animation studio that had ensnared him, but no matter how clear the images were, the memories were... distant. The area in particular must have been somewhere on one of the lower levels, hopefully not far from where Sammy had knocked him out earlier that day. ...Was it the same day?

_perfectamiperfect_

He shook his head violently at the sudden whispering in his mind, the ghostly words chilling his body. His subconscious made him look around again, but nothing was there except for the pool of ink he had climbed out of; the whispers that usually flowed out of it strangely gone. Nonetheless, it urged him to look at his hands.

They were gloved toon hands. He yelped as he fell backwards, fully aware that was not supposed to be as he frantically looked over his small stature. “No no no!” He felt dread at the sight of his black ink skin, “What’s going o-on!?” big shined shoes, “It’s just a dream!!” and the white bow tie that contrasted it all.

He knew he couldn’t be though. Taking a deep calming breath, he moved toward the pool of ink next to him to see if what he expected was true. The calm substance reflected honestly, sparing no secrets to him. A perfectly round face, with a perfectly pie cut set of eyes, with a perfectly shaped pair of horns, with a perfect _toony smile._

_Bendy._

A small laugh came bubbling from his disembodied, floating head. It was giddy and joyful, too much so, unnatural. The sound quickly got louder with mad euphoria, it’s sound booming across the damaged aged halls like thunder. It’s loud sound making the walls vibrate with its echos. He gripped his head, as he marveled in the feeling of _utter bliss-_

He froze, his frightened bewilderment not easing the heaving in his chest left from the laughter. ..Why had he done that? This was _awful_ , this was _horrible_. Yet despite his despair, he felt a smile creep onto his features as he glanced back at the ink.

It all felt so wrong, yet actual several fibers of him said that this was okay, and should be celebrated even!

Maybe it was because he was put off by the separate emotions, or just because he feared what traveling back through the river of ink behind him would result in after what had happened, but he got up from his crouch to head in the door ahead. His feet were stumbling at the lack of practice with the new body, and his white inked hands were trembling as he tried to steady himself when they slid against the wall.

He quickly reached the door, and had to stand on the palms of his feet to reach the door knob. All he had to do was keep going! He’d have to find an explanation for this if he kept looking. There had to be a way to reverse this after all.

**It was going to be alright!**

The room was filled with cans of bacon soup, stuffed from left to right on the few shelves here. He took note of this room for if he didn’t get out soon.

A creek in the floorboards alerted him, the sound oddly clear despite the quiet sound.

Taking slow steps, he neared the corner that must be hiding the person that made the sound. “Who’s there? I know you’re in here.” The being hiding jolted and frantically tried to catch all the falling cans he held, failing.

The transformed Bendy perked an eye at the rolling can and walked over to the corner to see. “...Boris?” his eyes widened.  
Said wolf jolted at seeing the ‘cartoon demon’, and instantly turned and booked himself out of there.

“Wait!” Perhaps it was because Boris the wolf was mostly kind in his cartoon or that he was scared now, but “Bendy” quickly ran after. “Hold on a moment!” Boris didn‘t slow.

“My name’s Henry!” That got the much taller toon’s attention. Henry halted as well as he watched Boris turn around.

He was a bit amused when Boris tilted his head curiously.


	2. Acetone Ink Dries Too Quickly

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It stains the surface. Plastic, metal, the ink sticks.

“No my Lord! I am your-”

**_“EuaaaaAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!”_ **

Henry’s heart pounded at the inhuman screeching in the other room, finally able to break free from the ropes that bound him when Sammy tied him up and rushed to grab his axe that had been placed by him.

 _Spat!_  
Henry heard the sound and instantly knew to swing to his right, killing the monster made of ink that reached for him. The room shook.

“Guah!” The old animator ran forward, striking another humanoid monster as he tried to reach the hall straight ahead, away from “Bendy’s” grasp. Another tremor layered with soft whispers passed as the boards blocking him fell to his axe. They made him swing urgently, “Grr!” but way too hard as it caused the old axe to split in two.

Henry's eyes widened at his fallen weapon, and he felt weary as he looked at the room at the hall's end, its floor submerged entirely in ink. Wait. He looked behind him, confused at the sight of nothing chasing him. Wasn't there another monster? Where did it go- he realised the shaking had stopped.

He huffed, his body trying to calm. But a nagging worry had him all but panicking. A clammering met his ears and he glanced to a blocked side, and he nearly jumped when familiar tubes and steel cascaded downwards. The "Ink Machine" from the floor above, hanging off its giant chains in the unreachable room.

He looked straight ahead of him to the large room. A door at its end barely dry from the ocean of ink below. Whispers flowing out of the black surface, greeting him, bekoning him closer. The light glowing above the exit reflecting onto the light current menacingly, daring him to go forward.

Yeah no. He looked to his left and nearly cursed at the fallen boards blocking the only other path, a waterfall taunting him as it poured down on the boards. Taking an uneasy breath, he prepared himself to go into the flooded room; where the whispers that always hid in the black waters got louder with each step he drew near.

‘Til his feet finally met the river’s edge. Henry wasn't sure that was a good sign. It was as if it had been the whispers that had made the water ripple in the first place, and the sudden silence made him glance up and down the ink. The sudden quiet allowed even Henry to see his old, wrinkled face reflect in the ink as his ankle dipped in.

The room shook as what looked like ink brush strokes corrupted the walls like a virus. A sudden crescendo of drumming screeching in rythum. The noise in sync with the demon’s movements as it lunged out in an explosion of ink.

Henry's heart raced as the toon rushed at him. A quick twist of his body sent the demon crashing into the wall as the toon missed. The clattering of wood from the impact caught Henry's attention, and he ran to the no longer blocked path, leaping over the boards that collapsed to the ground.

Another unholy screech bellowed behind him, the beating noise quickening in rage. The distorted cartoon clearly not pleased about his attempt to cut off all routes not working. But Henry tried not to dwell on it as his feet ran through the shallow ink covered floor, his chest already huffing for air due to his terror.

The sounds of crashes and splashes followed each turn of a corner as wisps of shadows spread on the walls around him, Henry's heavy footsteps not dampening the whispers echoing from out of the ink trails. A splash from boards crashing in the pool made him wonder if he really did hear the pained scream by his ear.

And that pounding, low in tune, bellowed on. Beating in perfect pace. And the monster sung it's unholy verse.

A door! Henry almost tripped then in the thick liquid that slowed him down, quickly straightening himself back up. But he paid the price.

The monstrosity composed of ink flung him to the wall. “Guagh!” Henry choked as the demon gripped his throat as it pressed him against the wall, the old man instinctively gripping the gloved hand to try to ease the pressure. The dreaded pounding in the air _slowing._

The giant grin on “Bendy” seemed to broaden as his face drew closer to the animator’s. Giving painful twitches in it's smile as it stretched its too wide grin. And a painful tingling sensation in Henry’s hands made him notice that ink veins were forming on the appendages as the poison enveloped them. Despite his lack of air he flailed his body desperately to get free.

And that thumping, breathing around him, as the demon then pulled away. Pounding. A heartbeat. It was a heart beat.

“Bendy” rose his free, more human hand and Henry's eyes watched on terrified as the hand so skeletal it seemed to have claws, rushed down to pierce his chest.

“ _AAAAAWWWWW!!!!_ " Henry shot up in his bed, huffing at the images that ravaged his mind.

He gripped his blanket in his gloved toon hands, the sight of his room in the safe house helping him to ease his breathing, yet was a vivid reminder that he was still trapped in his studio. His, a guilty thought.

Taking a glance at the Boris poster in front of him then to the Bendy clock to his right, he decided he might as well climb out of bed and see how Wally was doing. A quick look at the silly clock told him it was 4. Huh, wonder if that’s day time or night.

Despite the early time, he could smell the cooking bacon soap in the kitchen and he couldn’t help but grin despite his shaken nerves as he joined the sleeping Boris, or should he say, Wally the wolf, at the table.

“Hey Wally, _Wally_.” Henry shook him, “We still have cans don't we? You didn't hog all the soup did you?”

Wally stirred, and with squinted eyes, shrugged his body. Henry sighed then chuckled, deciding to look around the place for his answer. Starting from the right of the search, Henry didn't see any in his case in the small section. But he looked curiously at the monstrous collage hung on the wall. The picture a combination of cartoon posters, using torn pieces of Boris, Alice, and Bendy to make what looked like some semblance of a person. He had asked Wally what it was about, but he hadn't given an answer.

Henry left the area to look elsewhere. From around the safe house, including for some odd reason the bathroom, Henry was only able to find three bacon soup cans, that of which he set on the table.

Henry sighed looking at the old food cans, rubbing his floating head in thought.“Boris-Wally,” he stared at the faded writing, “I’m going to go get some more food. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Henry heard a grunt of acknowledgement as he turned off the oven, and poured some soup for himself into an empty can. “Your food's done.” The toon announced as he walked out the safe house, taking a sip of his breakfast on the way. Where there were no whispers.


	3. Ink Blotches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pay attention, you may make a mistake. You don't want to trip.

Henry glanced around the hall before moving a Bendy cutout leaning against the wall. Behind it was a hidden vent Wally had guided him through to reach the safe room he had just come from. Taking a moment to put down his bacon soup can, Henry removed the metal grate and was able to easily slide in due to his decreased size as a toon. Making sure to grab his soup and to put the cutout and grate back in place before he made his way through the ducts.

Henry nearly stumbled when he slid himself out from the exit two feet off the ground, the landing a bit harsher than it should have been. But it was something now considered high for him. And honestly, he was still getting used to it. He casually took another sip of his food as he strolled his way back to where Bor- _Wally_ found him days before. He gulped down the rest of the can before tossing it to the floor just as he rounded the corner and found his destination.

Brushing off his hands, Henry looked around the room as he headed toward the back. Already grabbing a can from off the shelf, he noticed the supply was running out and wouldn’t even fill an arm full. Henry looked at the can somberly at this fact. They would have to leave and find an exit today.

Henry glanced at the door and took a shaking breath. He might as well check this way before they bothered venturing to the distant elevator that Wally told him about. They had agreed on it since the elevator went all the way to the top. And since Wally was a mechanic he trusted his judgement that the elevator would work for them. But the exit hadn’t seemed too far from here either.

Henry felt a shiver go down his spine as he spotted the river of ink through the creak of the door. The area devoid of light, but easy to see with his eyes having long adjusted. The scene unsettling him despite the lack of evidence of the “Bendy’s” assault. But the whispers emitting from the ink made sure he wouldn’t forget.

He clenched his fists as he walked defenseless into the waters, wary as his feet trudged through the path in case the beast would show. Neither of the two had seen the monstrous demon in days and it made Henry ponder if he was still roaming this area.

He still didn’t know how he was alive. Nor what had happened to him when the demon had attacked. Hell, Wally couldn’t even explain to him why they both were toons. And that scared him the most.

As he rounded the corner, he couldn’t help but look at the pool of ink “Bendy” had shot out from. His pie cut eyes locked on the surface in remembrance. Deciding not to take the risk, his feet walked down the thin hall towards where the insane music composer had tried to sacrifice him, but paused upon seeing the many stacked crates at his side.

He stepped toward the blockade, barely revealing the giant draping chains beyond. His feet fumbled as Henry tried to climb over them, unable to get far due to his short stature. But he was able to just peek over into the separate room. He nearly sighed, eyeing the four thick steel chains that disappeared into the abyss below. Moving downwards, dropping the machine they no longer showed. The one that made the ink around him.

Henry pulled away, dropping to the ground, and left the hall. His feet splashing in another ink puddle. He regretted turning the Ink Machine on.

The room was a bit brighter here with it's fading, orange light. As he walked passed wooden frames, which looked like walls that had long since been stripped bare of their wood, he eyed the door on the right hand side. Not noticing the floor stained ink that started at the door.

Ignoring the pole with broken rope, and the demonic circle left from the unfinished 'ritual' below it, Henry pried open the door to the left of it. Not recognizing the stairs, he made his way up the ink covered steps before stopping midway. He sighed with a sad smile, catching sight of the front of the music studio where Sammy had knocked him out in the first place. At least he knew where he was.

Going back to the room with the ritual, Henry hardly had to look to spot the other door there, the door Sammy had gone in when had been left tied. The ordeal, was one of the few fuzzy memories he had. He couldn't remember how it started, but he remembered the end of the insane musician's rant. With the whole 'sacrifice him to a demon' thing though, it was all nonsense.

His feet carried him over, curiosity egging him on despite his fear. But, the man was once so different. A once reasonable person. The tape he had heard of Sammy's gruff complaining, a sheer contrast to the preacher dialect he had spoken to him with. Henry's feet touched a unnoticeable black floor in the dark light around him, the wood sounding all the same under his feet. Gripping the door knob at his eye level, he hesitantly opened the door for a peak.

“Guh!” He gagged, covering his mouth as he turned away from the sight.

There was no Sammy. Just a large splatter of ink and a mask, next to a pair of cartoon overalls; and it turned Henry’s stomach painfully.

He closed the recording room’s door, a drop of ink on the hanging microphone falling to the floor. That left the entrance by the big pond of ink.

Henry’s feet were slow as lead-filled toon shoes carried him back toward the ocean of black. The light that reflected off the waves trying to reveal the horrors in its depths.

And it’s water greeted him with a smile as his feet slid in.

Henry's eyes watched the reflected ink expectantly as the liquid consumed his chest. His ink turned heart hammering beneath his ribs as he moved painstakingly slow across. The whispers grew even louder, practically shouting as he reached the center. Sometimes he wondered if the whispering was all in his head-

He shook it rapidly, for a moment he swore he actually heard them in his mind. But the whispers were now quiet as he reached the door. Stretching his arms for the door knob, he was able to pull himself onto the dry ledge with a degree of effort. Panicked, he twisted his head left and right for any sign of trouble. But. Nothing greeted him.

Taking a quick breath, Henry threw himself in the room, collapsing against the door in a heaving mess. His gasps desperately filling his lungs with needed air as he tried to quench his horrible fright. It was only when the pants slowed did Henry look at his surroundings.

Henry’s eyes widened at the many coffins in the room, more than he had seen before. But despite the upsetting feeling for the dead, what really upset him was the doorway blocked by the coffins and large amounts of fallen debris from a collapsed ceiling. An “EXIT this way” sign built above the carnage taunting the toon. But he chose to not let it bother him as he spotted a shelf of bacon soup cans near a clear hallway, this time abundant enough for him to carry.

Smiling to himself, he picked himself up and headed straight to the food and started picking cans off the shelf.

A coffin's door inched its way open. The clean rim became smudged at the ink that touched it. A gangly, dripping hand slid out from behind the thin opening.

Henry grabbed another can, almost filling up his arms entirely. A cheerful smile that was fit for the devil he was turned into was drawn on his face. After this, he’d check that hallway before heading back to Wall- A thud met his horns.

Henry rotated his head in an abrupt 180 degrees to look behind him. His grip on the cans tightened as his eyes grew wide at the several tall ink monstrosities that surrounded him. Gapping at him with gauged eye sockets, numerous holes littering their ribs.

A sudden grip on his ankle almost made him drop the can, the assailant's lower half a gathering puddle at it's hips, gaunt with it’s pertruding ribs. Skeletons, they were all skeletons.

The thin, lanky blotches lunged forward, dripping white and black ink as Henry barely dodged their strike, nearly face planting at the sudden release his ankle endured when it was jerked out of the monster's tight hold. The fall almost getting him hit when the dead crashed into the shelf. His head swarmed in panic as he was forced to go down the vacant hall, the black and white melting abominations making loud noises as they hunted him down.

Henry glanced behind him. The dripping black skeletons rushed to fit in the corridor to the point some climbed over one another.

Henry grit his teeth at the sight, not caring when he dropped a can as he aimed for the corner further down.

He nearly skid in the turn, and Henry did not like the sounds the ink monsters made as their bodies rattled like hissed screams. Ahead, his eyes caught a boarded section, the bottom half broken from who knows what as he ducked underneath.

His feet skidded in a ink puddle as Henry watched the obstacle knock off some of the heads of the rapidly rushing army, not comforting him at all as the rest broke down the remaining blockage. His eyes moved forward, catching sight of an ajar door.

His feet pushed him faster, and he desperately tried to keep his grip on the cans as they shook in his arms. He sprinted himself through the opening, and Henry’s back slammed against the door to close it.

His heart jolted. The dead end lead to nothing but a large supply room with abandoned cels and desks inside. Large and crowded, with no way out. Henry whipped his head around to check his ticking time as he instantly put in place the wooden barricade, cans falling from his grasp as he stumbled away from the door.

 _Crash!_  
Arms popped through, the horde trying to force themselves in. Their hands clawed at the surfaces as their effort bent the wood of the door to near its limits. "Aw!" Henry's breath was hitching as he hoped the door would hold. But watched helplessly as a skeleton wormed their way in further before being forcibly pushed down, the door's hinges snapped and the wooden barricade bent. A skeleton’s head above them got struck off and fell onto the skeleton below, crashing to the floor as the door popped open. Henry’s eyes widened as that skeleton roared up with its two newly connected heads.

Henry backed away further. Quickly, too quickly, they were moving to straighten out of their clutter in just seconds, yet his mind slowed it down and caught every detail. A slight realization occurred underneath his horror, telling him these were the skeleton toons from “Tombstone Picnic” as he watched them barge in. One of them crawling like a centipede with its multiple arms and legs, it even had a snake long spine, a combination of multiple skeletons put together, that trailed ink on the floor.

His feet hit a can. The action taking him out of his stupor and making his eyes notice the laundry chute to his left. Glancing at the monstrosities, Henry barely jumped out of the way of the hand that reached for him as he charged toward the chute and pried up the metal slate with one hand, dropping the cans in as he moved to jump in himself as the heavy slate slammed shut. A bang resonating within from the corpses colliding not a second after.

The toon yelped as he fell violently out of the open chute below, further scattering the bacon soup cans. He groaned as he pried himself from off the floor.

He moved as quickly as he could at the moment, his horns listening for any sign of the skeletons coming down as he grumbled to himself about how come he hadn't just held onto the cans on the way down, but then reminding himself that the grip wouldn't have let him climb through as he irritably chased down the cans sprawled out. With the last can grabbed, the devil looked around him, realizing that he actually wasn’t far from the safe house.

With a gleeful smile his feet nearly skipped the hallway that would lead to his wolf friend. And the halls grew silent as a melodic _whistle_ echoed from off his lips.


	4. Acetone as a Solvent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm the Dancing Demon,  
> Watch me _twirl_ , hop, and spin!  
> I'm quick to give a _smile_ ,  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I'm liking my au.  
> By the way, want a hint of what I'm planning to do?  
> Check out this comic I made!  
> https://novicsink.tumblr.com/post/179270547856/warning-comic-does-not-depict-actual-event-in

"You should see my _happy grin~_!" A whistle follwed the line, the tune echoing melodically down the halls happily as Bendy sang his show's song. His toon arms carried an armful of bacon soup cans, the limbs bouncing too due to his legs dancing with a hop in their step until they reached the door of the safe room. “Booorrrriiiiiss!” The toon called out happily.

The door opened quickly, revealing a worried looking wolf toon. He rushed the short demon he towered over inside, a paranoid swirling of his head checked for enemies around him before he tightly shut the heavy metal door.

‘Boris’ gestured wildly around him in frustration, quickly making a hand signal of zipping his mouth.

Bendy perked an eye at the other, “Be quiet? Ha! You worry too much! The ink demon hasn’t been seen here in days!” he stated as he set the food onto the table, “You were never this nervous before Boris!” Bendy chuckled, "But anyway, you would Not _believe_ what a day I had! Remember those skeletons that messed with me on the day we first met and you stole my lunch?" Bendy shook his head, "Woo! They are NOT looking pretty!"

The pacing wolf rubbed his ears tiredly in frustration. He stilled, Bendy’s words kicking in. Fearfully, he pointed toward himself.

The toonified demon tilted his head in confusion, “What are you trying to say bud? I can’t- that’s just one gesture.”

With a spike in his anger, he managed to find a piece of paper and quickly wrote his thoughts. Bendy perked an eye at the message the toon showed him, “Who do I think you are?” Bendy smiled disbelievingly at the silly thing, “You’re Boris! My best pal!”

Boris’s ears fell. Instantly he rushed back to the table and wrote again before showing the other.

“Wally?” Bendy perked an eye at the taller, “Oh _nooow_ you play a joke! Well I ain’t gonna fall for one of your tricks to get MY soup!” Bendy shook his finger as he rested his other hand on his hip in a very animated fashion.

The taller toon’s frown deepened as he just STARED at the other before him. “Boris?” Bendy didn’t like his slow movements as Boris stared down emptily, slowly he wrote another message.

“Who am I?” The toon looked at him a bit disgruntled and offended before deciding to smile to reassure the wolf, “I’m Bendy, the Dancing Demon!”

Boris’s paws hit against the table, now seeming to be the sole thing keeping him up as a sudden weight seemed to be pressing down on him. Bendy frowned at this, not expecting the reaction. “Boris?”

Then it was gone, replaced with the previous panic and doubled as the wolf heavily scrawled on the other side in giant writing. Boris launched himself in front of Bendy so fast that the demon staggered backwards in surprise.

Regaining his posture he regarded the writing with utter confusion, ‘cause in clear to see bold words screamed: YOU ARE HENRY.

“Henry? Who’s Henry?”

Boris looked around him rapidly, and grabbed a paper with a drawing of himself on it, tapping the image as he showed Bendy it.

Bendy’s brows furrowed, he wasn’t implying he was Boris was he? Wait. “You can draw? I didn’t know that.” He grinned, “That looks good! You should draw more often!” Boris’s teeth clenched as he jabbed the paper again and almost roughly pushed Bendy. “You’re confusing me here, and I know I ain’t you!” He perked his eye at the drawing, “Are you saying I drew that? ‘Cuase I know for a fact I didn’t-”

Boris was shaking his head repeatedly in a yes motion, “What? What do you mean I did?” Bendy frowned, “Are you saying I draw in my sleep or something?” Boris shook his head no before he gripped his head in frustration.

“H-hey now! Are you okay?” Bendy walked closer to him, “What’s going on? You’re really worrying me here with all this. Maybe you caught something..” He murmured the last part under his breath as he reached for his friend.

He shook him, “Guah! Boris?!” The wolf’s shaking only lasted a second, and the kneeling toon went back to jabbing at the written message saying Bendy was Henry. “I-I don’t get what you’re saying!” Bendy whined in rised panic, “I ain’t this Henry guy!”

Boris gripped his head in frustration and grabbed the drawing again to write another line. “...Henry drew that?” Bendy looked really concerned at his friend from the message he read, “Boris, I never saw a Henry! He can’t have come here. I think you’re confusing people.”

Boris harshly poked the paper, the jabs making loud crackling sounds at the abuse and urgently proceeded to grip Bendy again. “B-Boris! You need to calm down! I’m worried about ya!”

Boris covered his face in despair, but then suddenly relaxed, still. “Bud?”

Boris rushed to his feet, charging to his room and back, Bendy only watched confused as he came back with a cup, and- was that a bone? Boris grabbed one of the sheets of paper and wrote again, this time, gently passing it to the small demon ‘til he grabbed it. Bendy barely registered that Boris next grabbed the cup of ink before looking at what he held.

“‘Boris, Bendy, Alice aren’t real'.. 'Toons don’t exist’...” Bendy’s frown deepened at the words, “Boris of course we’re real- AWWWWWW!!!!” Bendy screeched backing himself to the edge of the room, his heart pounding at the sight.

Boris had painted x’s on his eyelids, the bone he grabbed sticking from out of his overalls in front of his chest to look like it had been gauged. His breath hitched as Boris took a heavy, limp step forward. And to his horror, he realized the bone was a human’s femur.

“Stop stop!” He covered his face in panic, “That’s a SICK joke Wally!!!” He screamed.

The toon stilled at his words, lighting a thought in him, and he realized that said mechanic was crouching before him with _hopeful_ eyes. “Wally?” He asked, ink tears pouring down his face.

Franks nodded frantically, and it made Henry groan as he gripped his face, “I lost it. I _actually_ lost it.” He shakily looked at his friend as the memories cemented, “I forgot- I-” He took a heavy breath, “Thanks Wally.” Franks nodded, the animator's face felt cold from the unnatural tears. “I’m Henry.  I’m Henry."

The safe room was quiet as the two sat next to each other, only the sounds of Henry making sure he wouldn’t forget his name permeated the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ink is made from particles of carbon black, a pigment substance. These particles are segregated from each other by a polymer that is adsorbed onto the surface of the carbon black particles. 
> 
> Finally, a solvent is applied so that the ink will flow.


	5. I'll be your Angel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paint a picture. Make it sing and dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So many ideas I'll have to write next few chapters.

Numerous briar label bacon soup cans clattered upon being dropped into a makeshift bag made from toon overalls, “Is that everything?” Henry asked as he stared at the contents.

Wally nodded in response, standing straight as he moved to grab the thigh bone from off the table behind him while Henry tied the overall straps in a knot to seal the bacon soup before he picked up the filled garment. Henry eyed the femur while Wally placed it in his mouth and grabbed the overalls from his outstretched hands. However, he didn't bring it up, he was secretly thankful for the limb.

Aside from Wally's percular new liking to bones, they were also not talking about what had transpired mere moments ago.

Wally slipped his arms through the remaining loops behind him and then wrapped the pant legs around his waist, all in all creating an imitation of a backpack. Henry looked at the odd arrangement with uncertainty, “I’m doubtful that'll hold. At least if we have to run, but it's better than nothing.” He shrugged.

Wally nodded before worriedly looking at the door. Henry's eyes followed the motion and he frowned before sighing. It looks like he would have to take the first step out.

“Come on.” Henry waved Wally to move too as he headed over. Henry had to reach a bit to pull the lever down, a loud click following as the door unlocked. Henry gave Franks a calming smile as he pushed the safe house door open. “After you!” He gestured toward the exit.

Henry's eyes beamed as Wally’s body shook with silent laughter before, the bit more relaxed Boris cartoon strode through. Henry made to close the door, but paused when he spotted the table, quickly as to not worry the other, he grabbed the few pieces of paper on it and the pencil and rushed back.

“Can't forget these!” Henry strained a smile as he placed the folded sheets and pencil in Wally's overall front pocket. “You need to speak to me after all!” He said more easily, and Wally nodded as he followed his friend.

Instead of going through the vents, they made their way through the same hall Henry had fallen in. Coming to a corner with a shack, Henry tilted his head at the wooden box he had seen before, actually getting a good look at it. He brushed his hand against the door and stared at the painted ring at the center, looking up, he noticed a sign on it: “Little Miracle Station”. Alice.

He actually didn't know too much about Alice Angel. Joey made her after he left the studio, so he didn't have much of a grasp on her personality other than that she liked to look pretty. Ugh. Joey changed a lot to the show. Including making Bendy more devilish and less innocent. He would have loved to see Bendy dance more, maybe something like tap dancing?

Henry removed himself and continued down the hall. He didn't notice Wally's somber expression as Frank’s eyes trailed on it.

“Looks like it's really dark up ahead.” Henry uttered looking down the hall, the open doorway completely dark with not a thing visible, “Let's find some light-oh!” Henry spotted the bulky flashlight on a desk next to them. “Well! Let’s see what’s out there.” Trudging slowly with light in hand, the two entered the shadowed area, the light first illuminating a giant vertical ink pump and walls of moving gears and machinery.

A bang behind startled Henry, and he glared at the toon. Wally shrugged his shoulders, not looking even a little guilty about closing the steel doors behind them.

Henry rolled his eyes as he walked forward across a grate in the floor, its ceiling dripping ink. He ignored the random shelf on his left as he made his way right then left passed a wall who’s light was flickering due to failure, machinery still moving and pumping out steam.

 _Bang-crack!_  
Henry froze. “Did you hear that?” He asked the wolf worriedly, but Wally just looked away nervously, pretending not to have noticed, “...Yeah, me either.”

Henry took a calming breath as they continued onward, passing more shelves and even dressers. Turning left. Henry saw another Bendy cutout propped against the wall. Henry looked at it, Joey's creepy style of his cartoon seeming to be alive, watching him, but the right of its face had a fraction of light on it.

Henry felt relief when the new room was lit. The area was still dark, but not any less than in the rest of the studio. However, his relief died when he saw their path closed. “Another dead end.”

Henry still gripped the light as he looked around the double steel doors shut tight, seeing nothing but a vent to the side. “How do you open these things?” He gripped his chin as he looked at them with his face just a few inches away looking for a switch of some sort. “I don’t see any other way through.”

A tapping on Henry's shoulder had him turn his head to see Franks at his side. “You got an idea Wally?” Wally gestured to the flashlight and then motioned toward himself.

“You want this?” Henry asked as he offered the other the tool. Wally nodded as he grabbed the device, and Henry couldn't help but perk an eye as he saw Wally turn around and head to the vent. An understanding of what the mechanic was doing popped in his head as Wally disappeared from view.

Henry grinned as the metal doors opened, but when he didn't see his friend he looked hesitant toward the vent for any sign of the other. A few seconds of waiting and knowing what kind of person Wally was, Henry hoped he was right with the idea that Wally had gotten out of the vents further on ahead as he continued onward through the hall. He had been smiling to ease the small worry as he turned the corner, but Henry's expression completely fell when he stared baffled at the enormous room he walked in. “Wow… I don't remember any of this.”

He had stepped into what looked like a toy wonderland, the giant room carrying just as giant toys, enormous airplanes just hanging from the ceiling. As his feet worked on autopilot passed the miracle station, aisle gates, and huge Bendy plush; his eyes stayed transfixed on the enormous fountain centered between two staircases, the tower spewing ink with an attached sign reading “Heavenly toys”.

Looking up further he noticed the steel ring hanging right overhead, and Henry quickly realized it was a halo. He couldn't help but smile at it. Already, the place of marvel was making him remember the good memories he had of his cartoon, instead of the bad ones he recently had made in the studio.

Looking to his right, another Bendy cutout greeted him. Actually, this room had quite a few of them, at least ten. But the lifeless smiles weren't enough to deter his mood. Especially when he stepped in a puddle.

Blinking, Henry stared at it, a smile growing on his face as an idea popped into his mind. Dipping his fingers into the ink, Henry was grinning like a kid as he stretched his hand to the cutout's face, smearing the ink above its smile. Left, right, why this was one of his best works yet~.

Done. Henry pulled away, chuckling at his work. The image reminded him of one of his favorite episodes, where Bendy used a fake one to be hired as a chef since he hadn't been old enough. And with that thought, he turned away from the mustache wearing cutout.

Ridding his hand clean of ink, he strode onward to the stairs. His gloved hand dragged on the railing as he climbed up, eyes watching the elephant size Boris plush, oddly perfectly intact. He couldn't help but feel a childlike wonder in his heart looking at it all, when he heard a faint gentle singing, almost _familiar_.

_Alice?_

His eyes widened at the humming, and his feet started moving closer to it on their own accord. It was melodic in its echo, utterly sweet, beckoning. It could be a radio or someone dangerous he told himself, but even at this as he neared the top, he felt his heart beat in anticipation at each note that rose and fell, haulting his breath as the song fixed his gaze forward with each step.

He. Felt like he knew the words. Like if he heard them a thousand times, and that he could sing to them if he just remembered. A strong thought told him it was Alice, and it eagerly pulled him ahead. It was when his feet hit the wood of the balcony that the voice then stopped.

With the song done, Henry paused, released from his daze. Released from his spell. Despite the fact that he was wary, his fascination didn't waver, and he quickly turned his head to where he swore the song had come from. With the miracle stations seeming to be safe places to hide in, to the harmonious singing, to maybe even the awe striking toy land, Henry realized an Alice had to be near by, one who seemed pretty kind!

A hopeful warmth flooded his chest at the thought of someone that could help them. Yet his experience at the studio prevented him from rushing forward to meet who ever was ahead as he eagerly walked into a room of machinery, passing a poster reading: Work hard, Work Happy at the entrance. It was a small toy factory, shown by the toys spread out everywhere and consuming the dangling shelves.

Henry perked an eye in slight annoyance at the sight of a few shelves lined up in the back, blocking the only door that would take him further. “Why is there always something blocking the door?”

The machinery was still and unmoving, toys laid on it and some toys even lodged into its gears. A recorder on a desk caught his attention, and out of curiosity, made his way toward it. It was almost hard to see with the shelves in the way, but next to it, there was also a small bowl with a Bendy sculpture in it. It seemed to be made of ink. Odd, but everything was strange here. It took some stretching between the shelves, but he was able to press the play button on the book sized audio log.

Henry saw white, as the world suddenly reeled with a violent screech. Forcing his eyes shut as everything went blank.

“I don't be seein' what the big deal is.” Henry opened his eyes at the sudden voice, everything the same as it had been before. Shawn?

“ _So_ what if I went and painted some of those Bendy dolls with a crooked smile? That's sure no reason for Mr. Drew to be flyin’ off the handle at me.” His beating heart tried to ease as he purposely tried to ignore the sudden 'skip' and focused on the tape. He couldn't help but scowl at hearing Joey yelling at Flinn over his work, when Henry suddenly felt a spike of irritation toward _Shawn_ , leaving Henry perplexed ‘cause he was irritated at Joey's actions not his. It almost felt like it came from the studio itself.

“ _And if he really_ wants to be so helpful, he could be tellin' me what I'm to be doin' with this warehouse I got full of that angel whatchamacallit. Not a scrap of that mess be a-sellin'!" Wait? Alice wasn't popular? Henry frowned, that was a shame, he was starting to like her. Though it was odd, feeling bad for an imaginary person as if the angel had been a dear friend of his.

Shaking his head, Henry eyed the door behind the shelves, studying them as he contemplated his situation. As to assure himself that the moment at the recorder hadn't happened, he picked up an Alice doll from off the shelf, and smiled gently down toward it. How near was she? He gave it a light squeeze and almost laughed as it squeaked. Placing it back down, Henry moved his body to be level with the gap between the shelves to see whether he’d be able to squeeze between them.

Nodding to himself, he turned sideways, his small body easily able to fit, but due to the huge shape of his head had to use his body to push the shelf to spare enough room. On the other side now, Henry opened the door he sought.

His eyes were greeted to a few Alice Angel posters such as “Sent From Above” and “Siren Serenade” and other Alice Angel merch all around him. The later poster featuring Alice smiling on a lone island, with a sinking ship behind her. From straight across the room, was another room only visible by its window.

Henry walked forward curiously, cartoon shoes pressing against the floor, when the room suddenly went dark. Only lit by the TV screens depicting the face of Alice Angel built high up in the walls, and a light illuminating a sign printed with “SHE’S QUITE A GAL!” above the window.

The sound of a reel started, followed by a woman’s sigh. Then a giggle.

“I'm the cutest little angel, sent from above, and I know just how to swing!” She sang.

“I got a bright little halo, and I'm filled with love…” Henry grinned when he heard a pop of lips.

“ _I'm Alice Angel!_ ” The recording must automatically play when someone enters!

“I'm the hit of the party, I'm the belle of the ball, I'm the toast of every town.” At this thought, Henry started snapping his fingers to the beat.

“Just one little dance, and I know you'll fall…” Swaying his head along, as if captured by Alice’s spell herself. She popped her lips again.

“ _I'm Alice Angel!_ ” So she was a spirited character huh?

“I ain't no flapper, I'm a classy dish, and boy, can this girl sing.” A light lit up in the separate room, and excited, Henry strode up to the window wondering what was next.

“This gal can grant your every wish…” He placed his gloved hand lovingly on the glass.

“ **I'M ALICE ANGELl!** " Henry fell with a screech when a women banged on the glass. Her distorted melting face glaring at him, and as she brought her arms to strike the glass again, he caught a glimpse of her broken _halo_.

The lights went out as the glass shattered. The room, submerged in blackness, only revealing Henry’s shallow breathing. His thoughts pondering if she was still there in the silence.

“I see you there~.” The whisper echoed with an answer in the room. She giggled, a distorted variant of the cheery one from the song.

“ **Your mine now demon~.** ” What?

"Come along now.” The voice brushed his horns, “Let’s see if you’re worthy to _walk with angels_.”

The lights flickered on, revealing no one in sight. Just glass strewn about from the busted window in front of Henry. A heavy weight filled his gut as he looked for any sign of the fallen _angel_ as a sense of betrayal filled him. That, THAT was not Alice. The reasoning eased the out of place feeling; and he mentally berated himself for not thinking that the employee, whoever they were, could have ended up like Sammy.

Henry, wary, made his way to the door adjacent to the window. His hesitant steps crunching the glass he accidentally walked on. He was unaware of what to think of this new acquaintance, nor aware of the sudden lack of Alice Angel dolls in the room.

His white hands were trembling however, when they turned the handle. And for good reason, the door lead to a division, two sections opened to their own paths. A sign was centered between them, pointing to each, written with the horrible ink of the studio.

Left, **Demon**. Right, **Angel**. He had to make a choice of which one to take. Of course...

“Hmm…” He placed a hand on his chin. He pointed left.

“Monstrous demon? Or psycho?” He pointed right. Perhaps he shouldn’t be trying to lighten his situation.

“Potential answers? Or psycho?” He pointed left then right.

He pointed between the two again, thinking. “Death? Or death…? Hmm..” He shrugged, death it was! Accepting the potential danger for the moment, Henry moved to the left path, refusing to think through his situation further.

When he heard the click of the shutter door slamming the other path shut, he wondered if he made the right choice.

The path of the demon had a room completely flooded with ink. In fact, it reached his hips due to his height, and was still being flooded by slow dripping waterfalls pouring from the ceiling.

Taking his slow steps through, he looked around him worriedly for any sign of danger. The air around him was ominous, suffocating. Toys and paper laid about, blinking at him in a mockery of childhood innocence. At his right an animator’s desk propped against the wall; drawings and a Bendy doll laid on top, smiling at him. But all the while it did not deter him from hearing the pool’s quiet whispering, of what he was realizing were the cries of the employees of the studio coming from the river.

He paused, noticing a recorder on a lone chair in the corner. Clean, almost new unlike everything else around it. He perked an eye at the odd placement, it's face planted towards him, set in a way that demanded "play me." He glanced towards the way out, a Bendy cutout next to it staring at him expectingly. As if edging him to do something he was supposed to. He trudged uneasily over to the wooden seat, the thick ink gripping him tightly, guiding him. And his cartoon hand pressed the play button.

“There’s nothing wrong with dreaming. Wishing for the impossible, is just human nature!” Joey Drew... Everything stilled, his thoughts, his breath, _the voices_ , quiet.

"That’s how I got started. Just a pencil and a dream! We all want everything, _without even lifting a finger_. They say you just _have to believe._ ” Anger bubbled within Henry, memories of false promises flooding him, remembering HIS hard work to push THEM forward.

"Belief can make you _succeed._ ” The endless nights working. Not being able to go home.

“Belief, can make you _rich._ ” Not getting any credit for his work. Watching as the characters he put his soul into get _ripped from him._

“Belief can make you _powerful._ " _And to end up HERE when he was going to forgive-_

"Why with enough belief, _you can even cheat death itself_ -”

There was a crash as the device hit the wall from Henry’s toss. A loud crack coming from it as it clattered.

**Now that… is a _silly_ thought. **

Bitter, Henry felt the room mutter its anger as he walked to the exit door. Telling him he shouldn't have left the studio so long ago. That this mess could have been prevented.

He ignored it, as he walked by a weathered poster of Bendy's face, grinning at him as he went through the door.

His feet tapped against metal grate, the drain running down the whole of the long dark hall. He barely noticed the miracle station as he passed the thick pipes, the memory of the angel compounding his situation. He turned the corner to an almost identical hall way, making his way forward through the dusty air to the door. He closed the door behind him gently, paranoid as he headed toward the corner at the end of the hall.

Henry yelped when a Bendy cutout appeared from behind the wall, "AHH!” hiding back after Henry's scream.

He stared, processing the scare. With hesitation, Henry moved forward again, remembering how on the first day here the cutouts had moved by themselves, yet still had posed no danger. But that hadn't startled him any less.

His eyes narrowed when he turned the corner. “Wally! You scared me to death!” He scolded, watching the wolf mechanic hold his stomach in silent laughter, the Bendy cutout standing next to Wally.

Henry smiled though, thankful for the joke that eased his nerves. “Don't suppose you found anything to protect ourselves with?”

Wally, his laughter easing, nodded, handing Henry the pipe in his hand. “This will do.”

“Did you grab a weapon for yourself?” Wally’s eyes widened at the question. He looked around himself frantically before stilling and grabbing his bone from the overall ‘bag’.

Henry resisted face palming himself. He forgot. In fact, he not only forgot to grab a weapon for himself, but he also just tried passing his bone off as a good weapon. Gotta love Wally! “We’ll keep an eye out for something better Einstein.” Wally’s eye narrowed with a smile as if to say “Ya _stink’n_ devil!”

Henry looked toward the door, pondering if he should tell Wally about what happened, ending with him deciding he’d do so when they were in a safer area.

As Wally watched him go through the door, a recording he heard echoed somberly in his mind: “ _Everything feels like it's coming apart._ When I walked into the recording booth today. Sammy was there with that… _Alison_."

“Let's go.” Henry called.

"Apparently, I didn't get the memo. Alice Angel will now be voiced by _Miss Alison Pendle._ A part of me died when he said that.” Wally closed the door behind them. “ _There's gotta be a way to fix this!_ ”

He’ll learn what they'll have to deal with soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like your opinion, 'cuase I'm trying to foreshadow something but I'm not sure if anyone is getting them.


	6. A Date with a Demon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Misunderstandings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chapter so soon? Yes!
> 
> Some of you probably have noticed that when you reread my story, there may be a few changes like added scenes or I've fixed any writing errors. Sorry for that...  
> But onto the story!

The room was filled with even more toys, a storage area for the merch. Henry looked around curiously, making sure to take note of the area due to the potential danger they were in. Wally glanced around too, his eye catching sight of three giant Boris plushies but mainly followed the other passed the broken shelves filled with Bendy, Boris, and plenty of Alice plush toys. Their feet splashed in the many ink puddles spread out on the floor.

They quickly enough found the way out, the doorway leading into an intersection. The left was a hallway leading into another intersection, and the right, a dead end marked with a giant Bendy statue against the wall.

Wally walked up to the mechanical sealed door ahead of them, tapping the door with his knuckles to point out that was where they needed to go. Henry looked at the box that was next to it, reading: DOOR RELEASE, two blinking lights on the bottom of it. He watched Wally follow one of the cables coming out of the box right to a switch.

“Looks like to open this, we’re going to need to throw two levers at once.” Wally nodded, thankful he wouldn’t have to explain as Henry looked to the left at the second cable, “I’ll look for the other over here.

Henry gripped his pipe in his hand as he followed the cable. The wire turned a left corner, and Henry glanced at the one at his right for any sign of danger before following the cable further.

This hall also oddly lead to nowhere, only a mere poster at the end of it. It was irritating how confusing the whole studio was, especially with so many halls leading to nowhere. He wouldn’t be surprised if it had been Joey to make such _careless_ designs.

Henry stepped forward, spotting the exact switch he had to flip in front of a poster called “The Butcher Gang.” That episode had been fun to animate. Bendy had been working at a diner when the three schmucks on the poster: A suite wearing chimp, a sailor, and a spider, started causing trouble at the place, scaring Bendy silly before he had to find a way to resolve the situation.

Henry looked at the tattered poster before him. Heh… Joey would fit right in among them considering the lengths he went through to ruin _this_ place- “ _ccCRouGH!_ ”

Henry’s eyes widened at the monster that burst through the poster, the disfigured toon falling from the wall on to the floor. Henry’s heart beated in panic looking at the twisted design of the chimp of the Butcher Gang. " _Charley?!_ ”

The leader of the gang picked himself up and charged at the other, swinging the wrench in his hand. Henry backed up, barely dodging the strike before bringing his own weapon down, and struck again when the creature didn’t go down.

But the one, black eyed chimp was still standing. A sudden fear gripped his core as it raised its arm as it made to swing. It was not like his own, foreign. And Henry suddenly realized it was BENDY’S.

The swing forced Henry backwards again, away from the peg legged monstrosity groaning with its slack jaw. Back and forth, Henry struck and backed away to dodge the other’s, and the abomination still refused to go down.

A powerful strike to his jaw sent Henry tumbling into a stack of boxes against a wall, leaving him disoriented at the impact.

Ink splotched Henry’s vision, as the groaning chimp raised his wrench again. Henry’s eyes widened, and through his blurry vision, swung the fist with the pipe to strike the other. A splatter of ink splotched his face, and Charley melted into a puddle.

Henry panted, his breath hitching. Bendy’s guilt at “Charley's” death tugged at him. He rubbed his head to try to settle his vision, his hands meeting melted ink where he was hit.

_notperfectnotperfectnotperfect_

Henry shook his head violently to clear his thoughts. Looking around, Henry saw that he had backed into the mirroring hallway to the hall with the switch. Anxiety still gripping him, Henry glanced to his right for any more monsters. Except for seeing another hall leading who knows where, one he decided he wasn’t going to risk exploring this time, he saw a recording among the boxes. Taking a steadying breath, Henry played the device.

"Alright let's go over this again. If the pressure goes over 45, I screw the safety bolt in tighter, right?” Oh. Heh. Wally.

“No! For the last time, you do that, you'll blow every pipe in this place! If it reaches 45, you unhook the safety switch.” Huh.. Thomas was giving him a lesson on how to work something?

"You sure? You know, this sounds harder than comparin’ ear wax to bee's wax!” Okay… That, didn’t mean he couldn’t trust Wally’s judgement on mechanics right?

“Look, it's not that difficult! Just keep an eye on the gauge!” Thomas yelled.

“Look pal, if you think I'm doin’ my job AND yours, _I'm outta here!_ ” Well that wasn’t assuring…

Henry heard a creak of wood and shot his head behind him, spotting Wally looking at him. At being caught, Wally shrugged sheepishly.

Henry let out a disbelieving breath with a smile, “I hope you got better since then.”

Wally smiled as he nodded, but didn’t move. He waited a second before gently pointing to Henry and his ink stained weapon.

Henry frowned, and waved his hands dismissively, his eyes shut painfully, “I-I’m fine. Just go back to your switch.” Wally watched him, hesitating before complying.

Henry, looked down somber, when his eyes caught sight of the wrench left from Charley, “Hey Wally!” The wolf peered his head around at the shout, in time to see Henry pick up the wrench, “This ought to work better than a _bone!_ ”

Wally smirked under his muzzle, cheekily shaking his head no before grabbing the wrench and going back to his area.

The playful gesture made him smile and Henry walked to where he was before. He pulled down the switch easily, and not long after he heard the metal doors slide open.

He forced another smile with his task done, but this one didn't last. Now alone with his thoughts, Henry gripped his arms tightly as he started heading back. He hadn't wanted to see it sooner, when he lapsed, when he had that dizzy spell, _the whispers_. Even when he had so quickly grown fond of the actual angel cartoon character... now still, the name Alice sent a feeling of longing through him. He forced himself to unfold his arms when he turned into the hall leading straight to Wally.

It wasn’t just random thoughts or out of place feelings, but his personality too. He was acting like Bendy.

How far was he affected by his transformation?

The two walked forward in silence. Eventually coming up to a balcony in a new room. Looking around them, Henry noticed a sign saying they were on level ‘K’, whatever that meant, and a Bendy poster to his left, reading: “Hell in a Handbasket.” THAT fit their situation alright.

A tapping on his shoulder brought his attention to the wolf, and satisfied, he pointed to the floor below the balcony. Henry perked an eye as he peered over the railing, grinning when he spotted the elevator. “Oh sweet _relief!_ ” Henry was already rushing down the stairs, “Let’s get out of here.” Wally thought jokingly 'that was his line' as he followed not too far behind.

As Henry pressed the button to open the old elevator, Wally smiled to himself. It looks like they wouldn’t have to deal with the angel after all. With hope running through his body, he eagerly followed Henry inside the elevator.

The black bars on the elevator allowed the two to easily see through it. As the doors closed, Henry looked left as Wally headed toward the panels of elevator buttons. He perked a pie cut eye at the odd labeling: I, K, 11, P, 14, and a button below those for the closing and opening the door. Henry shrugged his shoulders, not worrying about it as Wally pressed the button above the rest, labeled “I”.

He stood. They waited. There was a whirring sound, then, nothing. Wally pressed the button again…

And again. Henry’s excited smile fell at the issue, and just as Wally was about to press the button again, a familiar voice spoke softly from an unseen speaker.

"That won't work darling~.” Every fiber of their ink froze. A suffocating silence engulfing the air as a sweet giggle rang through out. “I’ve taken your liberty to leave.” Henry’s eyes widened, he had been so distracted by his mental state that he forgot to mention her.

"I have to say. It's interesting to see you… _so different._ ”

“Different?” Was she talking about Wally? Henry turned toward Wally as if he’d know what she meant, but the wolf was looking elsewhere as he backed himself into a corner.

"I'm an instant fan~.” She said in a taunting tone. “You really are a monster though aren’t you? **Toying with me with such perfection**!” Henry flinched at the shout. Perfection? Well they both were “perfect”.

"No matter. Come to me now. Level 9.” She continued, “ **Just follow the screams.** ”

Henry gulped. Whatever she meant, she was talking nonsense, and that was not good for insane people. “Wally should we go- Wally?” Wally was huffing, doubled over as he clenched his head in a panic. “ _Wally!_ ”

 _She saw me! She saw me! SHE’S GONNA-_ “Wally!” A hand gripped his shoulder, pulling his attention back to the world.

"Hey now! We’re going to get out of this.” Henry’s piecut eyes were solid, certain. “Promise.” Wally slowly nodded. Satisfied, Henry looked at the panel behind them. “Can you repair the elevator?”

Wally frowned and shook his head no. Then he grabbed from the pocket in his overalls the pieces of paper and pencil, and wrote, “She must have found the counterweight to this thing. Put something underneath to prevent the elevator from going higher.”

Henry perked an eye, not completely understanding. “Well then, where IS the… ‘counterweight’?”

Wally looked away nervously before he headed back over to the buttons, pointing to level 9. Henry groaned, “Of course..” He looked defeated when he faced the wolf, “We’re going to have to go down there anyway to get out.”

Wally gripped his hands into fists, the appendages still shaking with the rest of his body. He stepped aside, and Henry pressed the button.

Down they went, silence engulfing the two. Thoughts going rapint in their minds, too many to speak, yet they both knew now wasn't the time for them. Henry's nerves wouldn't ease, but he chose to hide them, preparing himself. For what he didn't know. Wally himself felt guilt about not warning Henry, but his mind was too shot with fear to focus on it.

The elevator stopped, metal bars opening. “Come on, step out of your cage. _Our date's waiting_.” The speakers crackled. Henry glanced anxiously over to his friend, who pointed to the large doors in the back of the room, before taking the first step out.

The elevator had stopped on a raised platform, so they had to go down a pair of stairs to reach the larger section of the room. They walked across the wooden bridge, and despite the railings, felt a sense of unease as the abyss of ink around them whispered and _screamed_.

They climbed the few steps and trudged to the door. They looked dreadfully at the giant, steel Alice Angel above the door, Wally's grip on his arms tightening as he looked at the metal hands holding a sign reading: “SHE’S QUITE A GAL!” The old metal door started sliding open, giving a deafening screech.

And to Henry's surprise, Wally ran in. “Wally?!” He chased the other down the hall, passing an Alice Angel cutout, he nearly tripped on a bacon soup can. He had been so scared earlier, why was Franks rushing-

...in.

Henry's heart pounded in his head, as he was left speechless in the flooded room as his eyes watched Wally stare at the body strapped to the table. A Boris, his chest gauged with slick ribs visible.

Henry's eyes trailed away from the corpse’s crossed eyes to the rest of the room, almost black in its darkness. It was flooded with as much ink as there was corpses. Carcasses of dead toons everywhere. Dozens of Borises strapped to tables and gutted. Charley's and toons he faintly recognized, arranged _neatly_ under fixed lights. 

"W-Wally?” He didn't mean his voice to brake. He stepped up to his friend, a sickening thought reminding him that these had been fellow employees entering his mind. Looking at the janitor’s face, he saw ink lines dripping from his eyes. Henry didn't know if Wally knew the person he was staring at. He was afraid to ask.

“Go back to the elevator… I’ll meet you there.” Henry didn't wait for a response as he stepped on the precarious path over the river, the way made by one line of plywood in a bunch of twists and turns.

“ _Look around. It took so many of them to make me so beautiful. Anything less than perfect was left behind._ ” Her voice crackled from the speakers. " ** _But you already knew that_**.”

Henry’s eyes narrowed at the odd phrase. Yeah she knew Wally was here alright.

 _Creak!_  
Henry snapped his head over, spotting Wally stepping onto the board. “Wally it's _okay_.” Henry watched him with concern, the wolf must have figured she was talking about him. Wally shook his head as he took a step further.

" _I Had to do it. She made me._ ” Wally jumped and startled Henry when he hid behind him for dear life, his head looking around for any sign of her. Henry turned his gaze from the other to the door they had to go through. She?

Her voice had changed so differently there. And Henry was certain that was supposed to be Alice Angel’s voice. He could tell because he had felt scared for her and yet hopeful. Did a part of her actually think she was Alice?

He didn't like how similar that sounded to himself.

The two continued onward on the rickety path, Wally not once letting go of Henry as the twists and turns forced them to go around the whispering room; the dread they felt increasing each time they passed one of the countless tables strapped with a toon. It was like the path was designed to ensure each corpse would be seen, or maybe even, _marveled_ at. Henry spotted what looked like a mangled Barely, the sailor in the Butcher Gang, hanging from the ceiling, like if the corpse was a chandelier. The couch that was submerged in the ocean underneath it didn't help the thought.

The plywood branched into a second path to the right, but Henry forced himself to skip the short detour. Stepping off the path to a dry floor, they regrettably walked up to the steel doors. Their body stiff, as they waited for _her_ to open them.

A mumble. There was a mumbling sound ahead of them. Henry watched the door as his hearing picked up the faint sound. Another murmur. A tightened grip on Henry's shoulder implied Wally heard it too. Henry's eyes narrowed as he tried to make out word-

“ **gruuuugho grouuul- _gUAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!_** ” The two jumped, covering their ears as best they could to block out the bawled gargled scream. The distorted sound enveloping the room. A click, and the doors whirred open, beckoning them tauntingly to meet what wailed. Stiff and trembling, they stared down the dark path as the scream died in its echo.

They looked at each other, and without words, Henry stepped forward as Wally trudged behind. They turned a corner of the hall as the monster's gurgling grew louder, when they spotted an Alice Angel cutout at the opening of a turn, they heard electricity firing. Cautiously, they walked toward the cutout and peered their heads over toward the noise.

Wally sprinted back behind the corner, desperate to not be seen as he pressed himself against the wall, huffing in panic. As for Henry, he stiffened, left dumb at the sight of what was in the room before him.

Miss ‘Angel’, was at the back behind a wide window of glass at a control box, electrocuting a very much ALIVE ‘Charley’ strapped to a table.

A feeling of terrible uncertainty of what to do had Henry frozen. Henry looked at Wally fearfully, questionably, and the heaving mess was able to pull himself away from the wall and peek, only his head, around the corner. Wally shakily pointed toward the glass, and a pit dropped into Henry's stomach.

With a heavy heart, Henry stepped forward without the other. “Alice” picked up her head from the controls, and _smiled_ , stretching the hole in her left cheek as she turned them off.

"Now we come to the question...” She spoke with authority, “do I kill you? ...Do I tear you apart to my _heart's delight?_ The choices of the beautiful are **unbearable.** ” She winked her human eye, “ _How's a girl to choose?_ ” Henry listened, trying not to focus on the trapped ink creature near him struggling for breath.

“You’ve left me in quite a predicament.” Her sudden soft voice automatically drew his attention, “Now that you're not **TRAILING YOUR TAINTED INK TO MY DOOR!** "

Henry jumped without consent at her sudden, sheer rage. Her harsh snarl making his heart pound. Maybe it was because he heard a thud where Wally was, but shakily, he steadied himself, and with a steel expression took a step forward, “Look. I'm not who you think-

" **OH I KNOW _PERFECTLY_ WELL WHO YOU ARE DEMON.** " She screeched, eyes flaring, “ _And you're not going to drag me back to the dark puddles.._ ”

She cowered as her shrill, high voice whispered the words. She was close, utterly close to killing him. Henry could feel an assortment of emotions inside him at her soft voice. Terror, hurt, only caused by hearing a monster with a friend's voice.

“That abyss.. it's a buzzing, screaming well of **VOICES!** " She jerked her arms down in emphasis. “ _Bits of your mind, swimming... like... like fish in a bowl!_ ” And yet there was a distant anger.

Alice gripped her arms tightly, her high pitched voice echoing as she spoke, " _It was supposed to fix everything…_ ” Wally winced from behind the wall.

"The first time I was born from its' inky womb, I was a _**wriggling, pussing, shapeless slug.**_ ” Henry gulped, an unpleasantness turning his gut, “The second time...It... _It made me an angel!_ ” She spread out her hands in joy, her echo ringing in the room. 

" _But you ruined it._ ” Alice grew small as she said it, but the way she did made Henry take a step back, afraid if she'd snap then.

“ _I will not let you touch me again! I'm so close now. So… Almost perfect._ ” She grew quiet.

" _..And so are you…_ ” Henry's heart stopped at the gentle whisper that spoke with a newfound realization.

“Yes.” She stood from her controls, her velvet voice replaced with a wretched one. Smiling. “I will spare you. For now. Better yet... I'll even let you ascend and leave this place.” What? “If you will do a few **eensy, weensy** little favors for me first.” The two toons felt their hope shatter.

“Return to the lift, my little errand boy. We have work to do!" She commanded, her twisted smile leaving no objection, and the steel blinds slammed shut. Leaving Henry numb.

Slowly, Henry turned around, before hearing her again. “ ** _This is my world now._** ” Alice giggled as the clashing of electricity and screams started up again.

Walking around the first corner, Henry caught Wally holding himself in a death grip. Henry noticed the subtle way Wally’s eyes widened when he heard his feet, before his eyes drooped to match the other’s melancholic feelings. She had not mentioned the wolf once.

Silently, the two walked forward. Back to the room filled with corpses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You're comments let me know you're still there.


	7. Thrown Out Sketches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alice in Wonderland, (Disney adaptation made in 1951.)
> 
>  
> 
> It was supposed to include two tasks, but who knew adding life to something simple could make it so much longer?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man it's been a while, well I hope you like this chapter (I'm kind of proud of it.)
> 
> I edited some of the chapters a bit to go with a new plot idea I had. You might want to go back and read, mainly chapter 5.
> 
> \----  
> If anyone has experience or has studied insanity, please feel free to give me tips and info. I've studied a little, but this would help.

The two walked solemnly, reaching the room with corpses lit in a sadistic light. As the metal doors closed behind them, Wally took notice of the small path they ignored before, and in guilt in not warning the other sooner, walked over.

“Wally?” Following the other onto the plaque of wood, Henry saw Wally pick up a recording in his hands before playing it for him, “Who would have thought, me having lunch with Joey Drew! Apparently times are tougher than I thought.” Wally looked over toward where they’d been, and Henry followed the gaze.

"The voice actor...” Henry’s pie cut eyes fell at the realization.

“For a moment there, I thought I’d be stuck with the check. But I gotta say, he wasn’t at all what I expected. Quite the charmer.” oh Joey no. “He even called me _Alice._ ” What the hell did you do to her? “ _I liked it._ ”

“ _I was so lovely wasn’t I?_ ” Henry whipped his head around, Wally latching instantly onto Henry as the real monster spoke, “ **Pity I couldn’t see it then.** ” Wally's grip on Henry tightened as she giggled. “Don’t worry, I’m not so gullible now. _And Alice, she doesn’t like liars._ ” She whispered out mockingly.

Henry swallowed, eyeing the many corpses laid out in the room. Those words said it all. That voice actor was GONE, and in her place was the angel.

The walk back toward the other door was quiet as they passed the endless sea of corpses, Wally holding onto Henry for dear life. A fear of Alice halting any chance of words. The metal doors shut behind them, and they made their way toward the bridge, before falling shutters blocked them off.

" **My machines are hungry, gather me some spare parts.** ” She snarled, her speakers crackling. The event nearly caused Henry to fall when Wally jerked, and Wally gave him a sorry look as he let go, occupying his hands instead by gripping his arms.

A mechanical hum was heard behind them; looking, they noticed a pillar with a section opening to reveal a tool. Henry stared at the metal Alice head, before grabbing the wrench from within. He solemnly looked at the tool, processing his situation. A tap came on his shoulder, and Henry saw Wally sheepishly smile as he took the lousy pipe from him, allowing Henry a free hand as Wally placed the tool in their ‘bag’. “Thanks.”

The two, both carrying wrenches now, headed over to their elevator, trying to ignore the whispering river they walked over as they did so, and they entered the open elevator.

"There are so few rules to our world now. _**So little truths.**_ ” Wally flinched again, and Henry couldn't help but feel bad about how jumpy Wally was with her, “But there is one rule we all know and respect down here.” Henry looked up, as if he’d see her, “ **Beware the Ink Demon.** " They froze, ink blood running cold as Alice let out a dark chuckle at the mere mention, “ _I wouldn’t trust him little wolf~._ ”

Wally’s eyes widened, “You may be safe, for now, if the way he looks is any indication. But he’s the villain here.” Henry’s heart tugged painfully at the words. “ _Sooner or later this date’s gonna get **messy.**_ ” she whispered.

Wanting to be off the floor quickly, Wally pressed level K. He took a deep steadying breath. Okay, she knew he was there. Yeah, that should have been obvious, but _leeet’s_ not go down that train of thought. He groaned at the unpleasantness. She was truly a nut to suggest Henry would hurt him though. The Ink Demon was one thing, but Henry and him were two completely different things.

Looking at the other, Wally’s ears perked up at the ink cascading Henry’s stoic face. What? Nudging Henry out of his thoughts, Wally pointed toward his own face.

Confused, Henry touched his cheek, and his eyes grew in surprise, “I didn’t even realize I was crying… I’m not sad...” Henry looked at the ink on his hands curiously before wiping his face clean, perhaps a bit concerned.

Looking back at a confused Wally, Henry then remembered what he had wanted to say. His mouth tightened. “I saw her earlier… She was in the toy room. I...” He looked away, “forgot to mention her. I..” how could he explain it? “..Something’s wrong with me.”

The elevator opened, and Wally debated with himself as Henry rushed to step out. He hated admitting fault. Wally gripped his shoulder, stopping the old man, and he made horns with his fingers on his head before guiltily gesturing to himself. It took a moment before Henry figured it out, “You knew about her?” He nodded. Henry sighed with a light smile, “Should have figured that. Too late to be bothered about it now.” Yeah that idiot should have told him, but he did the same thing so… “Come on.” He left the doors.

Wally had smiled at the _forgiveness_ , but his smile fell at the other’s last words. Henry looked behind him, perking an eye, “Well?”

Wally gulped as he looked around them. He did NOT like trouble, and this place was filled with it. He better get out of this if he can. Stars, he only went this far because he had to- “Wally… I can’t reach the gears...” Henry said tiredly. Wally clenched his teeth and eyes at the words, and with GREAT effort, gripped the overall straps and stepped out to follow Henry up the stairs.

“Thanks buddy!” Wally glared at Henry at the words, but Henry acted like he didn’t notice the message Wally didn’t need a voice to speak.

Making a left down the short hall, the two were back at the intersection where they had thrown the switches. Already, Wally was walking straight toward the room of toys and Henry followed suite.

Henry watched the wolf walk across to a box on the wall, quickly working his own wrench on the bolts there for the gear inside; Henry looked around to do the same. Seeing a box behind him, Henry stretched to reach the bottom bolts, barely reaching them.

A sliding sound had Henry looked at Wally, who’s work revealed one of the gears they needed. “One down,” Henry smiled, turning to reach for the higher ones now. He groaned as he stretched for them, but scowled at the tool not reaching. Grunting, Henry jumped a couple times as he fumbled for the panel. He just needed to get one darn it!

When it finally slid open Henry's smile only lasted a split second. “This one’s empty.” Hearing another squeak sound near him, Henry saw that the one Wally opened was also empty. “Nothing there.” Rubbing his head, Henry scanned the room, frowning at the lack of panels. Was that really all the ones here?

“Wally!” His friend paused his walk to a panel, “I’m gonna check over here for any gears.” Henry gestured his toon thumbs toward the intersection before turning around.

Wally motioned to stop him, all the gears should be here, but sighed. Being mute was too much effort. He can just get Henry when he was finished here.

Henry walked cautiously, wrench in hand toward the intersection he had found Wally's recording at. He looked at it with a smile. It really was the little things that was going to get him through this wasn't it?

Walking into the hall, Henry glanced around him, not seeing anything, but the hall he hadn't gone down earlier seemed promising. Cautious, as with each new area, Henry walked by the vending machines at his right. Glancing at them, he smirked mischievously. One drink couldn't hurt~.

He took a step toward them, but then heard a clatter. Henry whipped his head up, looking around him, but spotted nothing. He frowned, and started heading further down the path to look, the machinery in the area pumping loudly. Searching around, Henry realized something odd. This area, was familiar…

He only glanced right to an open doorway when his world quaked, turning a harsh white that caused Henry to grip his head before reeling back into focus and he saw a group of butcher gang members run past the doorway.

And then he heard a familiar screech.

A sudden fear gripped Henry as he ran down the hall, his heart pounding as he passed a empty gear panel. Passed machinery that violently hummed.

_He had to get away! He had to hide before-_

Loud clanking on metal had Henry glance up at the balcony and his mind screeched again, filling his sight with more monsters running across it. Looking down, Henry saw a Little Miracle station ahead of him, and as the machines thumped louder with his heart, ran toward it with all his might.

“Gah!” He stumbled, but quickly straitened and made it to the station. He hid inside heaving, his door giving a deafening creak as it closed, peering through the slot of the station when it went black.

But things suddenly shattered into focus when Henry saw the Ink Demon charge toward him. His breath hitched as Bendy crashed his shelter. His heart leaped, when the beast’s hands launched at the door’s sides, his claws digging into the wood before yanking on the door, the wood splintering loudly as it was pried off its hinges. A gloved hand shot towards him.

Henry with shut eyes swung his wrench sporadically, desperate to not get killed.

When he heard a pained scream not like the demon, he opened his eyes to see a disfigured Charley fall backwards. The abomination turning into a puddle of ink on the floor. Henry stared frozen with wide eyes as his chest heaved. The station’s door still broken.

But no Ink Demon in sight.

Henry took a step out with trembling legs, his breath coming in short, fast pants as he looked around him. There was nothing, not even the clanking from butcher gang members he thought he had seen.

He looked down, unfocused, as his hand pressed on the back of his head. _Was. Was all that in his head?!_ Oh god. Whispers were one thing, _but this?!_ It had only been a couple days since he transformed, how was he supposed to _handle himself at this rate!?_

He was gasping as he looked at the ink at his feet, stumbling painfully away from it. It took him a second, but when his breath slowed, he noticed a gear right next to it.

Reality coming back to him, he brought a shaking gloved hand to the part and picked it up. Still huffing, it occurred to him that the toon must have had the gear, he had been lucky he’d been swinging. He sighed, letting his emotions roll out, and chanced a look at the station that must have been broken before hand.

He almost dropped his tools as he stopped breathing. The miracle station, broken for no reason, with no Ink Demon around, greeted him with a message that shouldn’t exist. Written inside, in old ink, two words.

**SEEM FAMILIAR?**

Henry stumbled backwards. Watching the words in horror as he frantically made his leave.

Wally grunted as he finally got the stubborn old bolt off, the metal sliding down as it opened, and he grabbed the gear from the wall. He frowned looking at it, out of all the panels here, he had found only two. Maybe Henry was right to wander. Wally looked behind him, peering through the shelves of toys. He couldn’t have gone too far off.

Gripping the gears in one hand and his wrench in the other, Wally trudged through the puddles of ink, reaching the doorway Henry had left through. He made his way over to the intersection Henry had fought that Charley in, looking both ways to find nothing.

Black caught his eye, and he stared at the ink puddle on the floor. He frowned, furrowing his brows in guilt. He had seen it, Henry in trouble. And he had just.

Froze. Cowering in fear where he had been. Would he do that again? He stared at the ink, his hand tightening on his wrench. He wasn’t sure… But he couldn’t just let Henry die either.

He walked through the doorway and was startled when he saw Henry by another intersection, merely slumped over, his hand holding his weight against the wall.

Worried, Wally rushed over, kneeling next to the man. His gaze was vacant and it worried Wally more, and he put his tools down. He placed a hand on his shoulder, and Henry jumped at the touch. Henry’s eyes relaxed at seeing Wally, but the wolf still saw a sadness in the piecut gaze.

“S-sorry Wally. I just, needed a. _moment_. Oh.” Henry looked at his hand and showed him the gear in it, smiling, “I found one. Bit of a troublemaker, but this should give us enough.” The statement was almost a question.

Wally looked at it and nodded. That angel would just have to deal with it if it wasn’t. He looked back at Henry with a frown, silently asking him what was wrong.

“If you’re done having your moment, you should return to me.” Wally flinched at Alice speaking over her speakers, “ **With my equipment please~.** ”

“C-come on. Let’s get these parts to miss _Wonderland_.” Henry moved from his hold, grabbing his wrench and Wally’s gears from the floor.

Wally watched the smiling demon go and picked his own wrench up as he stood. Glancing around him, he barely caught sight of the ink machine itself behind a gate, being lowered on its chains to a floor below, disappearing down the man made hole. With an inaudible grunt, he followed Henry. “ **And try not to die on the way back.** ”

He really hated being mute.

Nothing was said on the way back to the elevator, just an uncomfortable silence. As the doors closed at Henry pressing the button, Wally looked at the shorter man. ‘Cause that was what he was, a man turned into a toon. And here, that meant losing bits of who you are.

 _"Sammy said I had talent._ ” Wally winced when the angel spoke, at least he wasn't jumping now, “ _He was always a good liar. Still, he was once a very handsome man._ ”

Wally straightened, forcing himself to relax as she finished her quiet muttering. Well, speak of the devil. Wally let out a stressed breath, and looked toward his friend, still quiet. This can’t be easy for him.

Wally's hand shook as it slowly rose to the pocket in his overalls with the paper.

A clang and the elevator doors were open, startling the ex-janitor, Henry was already walking grudgingly out. Wally took a step to follow, but upon spotting the Alice face above the door, an image of his open corpse crossed his thoughts, and it suddenly had him frozen.

He swallowed as he watched Henry cross the bridge. He saw the shutters slam down behind him. He saw him place the gears and wrench in the trash can at the right of the door, and he looked guiltily down for not following.

Wally reached for the paper again as the angel spoke.

“ _Hehe. See if you can manage this._ ” Henry almost sighed at the words, “I need some **ink** to keep myself together, and what better to have _you_ do it. You know who, the SWOLLEN ONES.” Henry perked an eye. The searchers? The tube screeched open, startling Henry as it revealed a large syringe.

Hesitantly, he grabbed the tool from within. “Go ahead, betray their trust. _I’ll love to watch_.” Henry stilled at the words, looking at the tool with a new sense of horror, what he had refused to focus on. That's right, these were _workers_ , and she wanted him to seek them out. A chill went down his spine knowing he had already _murdered_ some- But. _He hadn't known at the time_ -

“ **Unless you want me to take something of yours.~** " Henry winced at the vague threat, but her words sparked another thought. She thought that the Ink Demon was _him._

He looked at the syringe in his hands, a memory of the Ink Demon flashing in his mind. His hand gripped the tool tighter. Who was he?

Henry heard the shutters slide open behind him, and he knew that was his cue to leave. He trucked his way across the bridge, almost aware of the vacant whispers, but he was more aware of the pounding heartbeat that trailed behind him as he made his way to the open elevator. Growing louder with the anger hiding in him. Wally eyed him with concern as he entered, pressing the button for the next floor.

“ **I hope they scream.** ” Their doors closed.

The elevator hummed quietly as it rose. The taller of the two eyed the somber man at his side, gripping the old paper in his hand. Wally pointed the folded paper in Henry's face, looking away sheepishly.

Henry blinked at the paper, grabbing it. He squinted an eye questionably at Wally, oddly still not looking at him. Henry, stoic, opened it, and Wally glanced at him as he read.

Wally smirked when his eyes went wide. Then he was laughing, laughing hard like he hadn't before in his life, and it made Wally grin seeing that anger and misery gone from Henry's face.

“Geez Henry, aren't you married? Why you on a date with this broad?”

Henry was partly covering his mouth in a half attempt to ease his laughter, “Wally that-HAA! That was not my intention I swear! She forced me!” He laughed, “Don't tell Linda! My- pff! marriage is in _jeopardy!_ ” Henry smiled in ‘panic’.

Wally laughed silently at the words, rushing to write a new message. He pretended to be annoyed with him as he handed Henry the paper.

“That's what they all say!”

Henry laughed out loud again, gripping his head.

“I mean it Wally! I love her! _Don't ruin our marriage!_ ”

Wally pouted as he showed him the new message, “Well alright… But only cause you're such a good friend.”

The elevator opened, but the two stayed where they are. As Henry's giggles died down, he rested his back against the metal bars, looking at the narrow flooded hallway ahead of them. He rubbed his forehead with a content smile. “I miss her...”

He shook his head, “I can't even remember what I told her. My memories are so foggy now, muddled. I’m missing some, and I swear some are mixed.” He rubbed his eyes at the stressful thought, Wally listening intently, he was in the same boat. “Last time I saw her, I think she was with my daughter.”

Wally smiled sadly. Henry had talked about his family a few times before, he wished he remembered his. Though that did get him curious.

“What's her name?” He wrote.

Henry smiled gently at the words. “Angel.” He laughed at the irony. “She's more of a real one than this Alice impostor ever will be.”

Wally liked her already. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, remember chapter 4? Have you cried yet?
> 
> For those who have already left kudos, just type kudos in the comments if you want to leave another. You don't even have to leave anything else if you don't want to.


	8. The Art Before It's Stained

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Drip Drip, the ink bleeds  
> Splish splash the ink runs  
> Tick tock time stops  
> Pitter patter the canvas is stained
> 
> Drip drip we all bleed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait folks! Here's the new chapter!

A splash was heard, and it had the smiling duo look over to down the hall.

Henry froze, catching sight of a giant searcher just before the giant doorway. He watched the legless creature, hunched over, not seeming to have noticed either of them.

Henry swallowed, hesitating to move and pondering just letting go of his syringe. The searcher, an employee dealt the worst of hands in fate. How much was even left of them?

The elevator doors started closing, Henry’s body blocked them however, forcing them to stay open. Henry glared at Wally resting by the buttons, and he shrugged nervously as his response. Henry’s expression softened, he knew why the tense man wanted them closed.

“Do you think we could just use the ink from the river?” He smiled uneasily.

Wally looked at him sadly, answering him before he grudgingly pointed upward.

Henry’s gaze fell with his hope. She was watching. She’d know. It unnerved Henry how she was so quiet. Like if she was eagerly waiting for her favorite scene to start.

Henry eyed the searcher nervously, feeling guilty even though he hadn’t taken a step forward. Maybe, this would ease their suffering..?

Henry felt a hand on his shoulder and looked at Wally, a unreadable, distraught sort of expression present.

Henry straightened, raising his syringe as he looked toward the mass of living ink. Time to take a page out of Wally’s book before he thought too hard on whoever this was.

His hesitant steps actually benefited him to his dismay, for the swollen searcher had yet to take notice of him. Not moving even when the man paused behind the creature. Henry clenched his eyes shut, before opening them to deliver the blow.

A light splatter of ink touched his face, the searcher a pile of ink on the floor. Henry stared at the ink, the death not registering in his mind. The death too quick. Too easy.

Then he felt it. A pain that had him killed over as a wailing roared in his insides. Anger, despair, torture, raging as it physically made him sick. He gripped himself as he tried not to puke. It was clawing to find a way out his silent mouth, as if trying to kill him. Demanding retribution for the fallen. Seething, screaming, _crying_.

_It wasn’t his._

A force pushed him to the ground and Henry faintly saw a wrench flying. Henry was becoming aware of the world when the screaming paused with him, and he opened his eyes as his vision cleared.

His eyes widened when he saw Wally bring down his weapon upon a dismembered ‘Barley’, the attacking sailor’s neck replaced with a fishing pole that hooked none other than its own head, “LIAR” of all things written on its belt. Right near where he had been.

Another swing and the toon was an additional puddle on the floor. Henry watched the still wolf in shock, not moving from where Wally pushed him out of the way. Did he just…?

Wally turned around shakily and stepped toward Henry, his posture utterly stiff. He kneeled, his troubled eyes searching Henry to make sure he was okay, before taking the syringe from the man and standing just a second later.

Henry bit back his thanks as he stood, an understanding clear between them. Don't be thankful for the dead. He rubbed his arms as Wally used the tool to draw the excess ink left on the floor from the dead toons, the amount however still not filling the whole syringe.

He let Wally lead them through the doorway to the river of ink, not complaining about the mechanic having taken the tool either. He didn't trust himself at the moment. Henry glanced at Wally's back as he stepped in the river; faintly, he realized Wally didn't have the overall bag on him. He must have taken it off at some point.

His feet stepped into the ink after the other, the liquid sparing anything above his knees from exposure. Looking ahead, the river lead to a hallway devoid of dry flooring, but ending in a turn. Henry turned his gaze to the right, spotting a little miracle station placed at the end of a dry spot a bit behind them. The painted halo on its surface taunted him.

His stomach turned as he looked away. She asked him to do this. And he listened. _Why was he listening?!_

He shook his head. He hated this. Would doing this actually get them anywhere? Was this the only way out?

Henry clenched his eyes shut, no he needed to get rid of these thoughts.

He opened his eyes with a guilty expression. He couldn't help but glance at the ink’s surface, aiming to find something to distract himself.

And a demonic grin smiled back at him.

He yelled as he jumped back in freight. Wally whipped his head around with panicked eyes, scared of what Henry could have found.

Henry shot his head toward Wally, before zipping back to his _normal_ reflection in the ink. Wally's expression was turning more confused at his frantic behavior. Henry's heart still pounded as he realized his mistake, and shook his head, “N-nothing.”

Wally eyed him worriedly at the answer, his gaze lingering before carrying onward in the ink. Henry, following, watched his reflection carefully as it rippled. A fear coursing through him despite his own assurances. For that second, he swore, he saw the Ink Demon.

He grit his teeth in unease. Was that it? Was the monster watching them as his story dragged its course? Waiting for his chance to drag them down?

The splashes ahead stopped short, and Henry almost bumped into Wally. He perked an eye at the frozen wolf. “Wally?”

That's when he heard it, a soft clanking just as a movement of light flickered at the corner wall. The light sparing a brief moment of a Bendy animation. Henry peered around the corner to spot the tool producing the old episode, his black eyes widening at the hulking figure walking behind the glass. Black ink and coils ran down its back, attached to a reel embedded in its shoulder.

And to a working projector in place of a skull.

The sight frightened him more than the searchers, for the thing was visibly human, its body of ink hunching at its own weight. And his sensitive hearing, could almost hear a disfiguration of words in the static the speaker embedded in its chest produced as it disappeared from sight.

Henry clenched his teeth, making sure he'd stay silent longer just in case the being would hear him; and if it did, well he hoped it was friendly. Henry turned his head toward a shaking Wally, who was trembling like, well, a TOON. Henry reached a hand to steady the poor man when he noticed him. Teetering…

No. _NoNoNo!_

Henry rushed to catch him from behind, the weight of the fainting man plopping into his hands, then onto his head. Apparently he wasn't the only that couldn't handle this day. Henry puffed out his cheeks from the strain as he tried desperately to keep the _taller, heavier_ man from falling completely as Wally's back literally draped over Henry.

 _Get up Wally! The both of us can't have problems!!!_ Henry took a step back, trying to keep the little leverage he had.

“Gah!” Henry’s foot slipped with his hold, crashing into the ink underneath.

Wally, blinked his eyes when he felt a cold liquid splash his face. What?

Wally's eyes flew open as he shot upright, eyes darting in search of the monster he swore he just saw a mere moment ago. He eased when he saw it was gone, and noticed that he was oddly in the river, sitting on something round.

Wait round?

“Gasp!” Henry coughed as he popped his head out of the ink. “Hey, scaredy cat, get off me please!”

Oh shoot! Wally got up quickly, offering his hand to the soaked toon, “Thanks.” bringing the both of them onto dry wood.

“I’m SO glad that fainting ends quickly.” Henry muttered as he wiped himself off. Wally couldn’t help but frown in guilt and embarrassment as he realised what happened, “Yeah yeah, it’s alright. Just, try to calm down next time.” Henry waved it away.

The animator looked behind them to the glass, “It doesn’t seem to be coming back. It must be out of earshot if it didn’t hear that.” Wally gave a relieved sigh at this. Geez that thing really scared him. Then again Wally’s had a, reasonable, heart attack towards everything in just the half hour. It’s no wonder he fainted. That man needed a break.

Wally looked around them, spotting the door that lead to the room behind the glass and then looking toward his other side. “Wally,” he felt the need to ask, “did you know what that was?” Wally went rigid, his steps making an obvious stop.

And he looked at him with a sad expression that confirmed Henry's curiosity, before simply walking to the mirroring corner where a few barrels laid. Henry looked on confused at the action until he heard a recording play, the recorder having been on one of the said barrels.

“I don't get it. Everyone's walking around here like _grandma just died._ ” Wally's eyes fell at his own voice. It's been awhile since he heard this one.

“Nothing but angry faces everywhere. These people gotta lighten up. I mean, _hello! You make cartoons! Your job is to make people laugh._ ” He had tried to make them laugh, he could feel it.

“I'm tellin' ya. If these people don't start crackin' a smile every now and then, _I'm outta here!”_ He placed a toon hand next to the recorder as the tape stopped. He’d almost forgotten what he sounded like.

Henry’s eyes dropped as he stared at him. Quietly, his feet walked up to the taller, trying to look casual as he stopped at his side. “So ugh… Why did you stay?” Henry playfully smirked as he nudged the other, “Had eyes for a cute dame here?"

Wally blinked at the sudden joke, then snorted, a light blush caressing his face as he silently chuckled.

Henry’s smile grew before falling into a playful shrug, “Or is a lad more your tastes? Whatever works for you.” He was met with a playful punch to his arm and Henry chuckled at the rough affection. “Hey no need to get violent!”

Wally’s ears perked as he smiled kindly at his friend's silliness. Thinking bout it, he truthfully didn't know why he stayed (let alone who he liked). That disappeared with the rest of his memories. Whelp, that no longer mattered now did it?

__Splash!_ _

They whipped their heads toward the sound, eyes transfixed at the newly appeared searcher seen through the glass. Their hearts fell at the vivid reminder.

With sullen eyes, Henry glanced at Wally, just barely realising he was empty handed. Slowly, Henry stepped back into the ink, hearing a door open as he bent down to search through the inky river, finding the syringe and wrench easily enough.

A slam had Henry spin his head around, seeing Wally’s fist against the wall. Quickly, Henry skidded to the open door, peeking inside, a black puddle where the searcher had been.

 _“ _Crikes!_ ” _they disappeared! "It’s fine.” Henry took in a deep breathe, “We can try… waiting for it.” geez, it felt so heartless to say that, “Maybe… they’ll come back.” he hoped they didn’t.

Wally gave a forlorn nodd before tapping Henry and ‘asking’ for the syringe. Henry did so, but when he tried giving him the wrench too, Wally gestured stop with a shake of his head and walked further in. A small smile crossed Henry’s features despite the situation. Heh. Guess Wally couldn’t trust himself either.

Quietly, Wally walked behind the table in the room, sticking to a few feet away from the puddle. Henry went farther down on the other side by the glass and walked a bit closer to it.

And so they waited.

_And waited…_

Henry sighed after the first couple minutes, and didn't object when Wally moved to inspect around the corner where that creature had gone, gesturing to imply he’d be back in a minute.

Looking, Henry noticed a stray bacon soup can on the table and so left his post. He grabbed it, gently tossing the can in the air before catching it again and he started to move back.

He slipped.

Ow… The can clattered to the floor just as Wally was coming back, gesturing ‘nothing’ with his hand. Geese, am I getting Bendy's bad luck too?

Plash!

Henry's eyes widened as the giant searcher appeared before him, a towering monstrosity at this position. Henry looked around hurriedly for his wrench, his stomach dropping when he saw it was next to the searcher itself. He shot his head toward its face as he prepared to scramble away, when it tilted its head curiously.

It froze Henry in his spot, halting his breathing as it just STARED at him. Not scared like its earlier actions implied, not attacking like the butcher gang had. Nothing. Like if.

__It trusted him._ _

Henry’s heart jumped when a syringe pierced it. Wally, stricken with fear, turning the creature into a puddle. Henry could only stare in guilt filled horror as Wally breathed deeply in a poor effort to calm himself. Nausea plaguing him, when Wally was finally stable enough to draw the remaining ink on the floor, the ink disappearing like if it never had been there before.

A chuckle echoed within the room making both of them flinch violently. _“Do you hear the silent screams? Their confusion?”_ Henry’s eyes widened as she let out another sick laugh.

 _“ **Those disgusting FREAKS! Their voices tainting each drop of ink!** ” _Henry stared at the spot the searcher once was. _“But I need them nonetheless.”_

 _“ _Thank you for giving your angel such a lovely gift Bendy~._ ”_ A sob with hints of anger seemed to quake his body, his face still dry, him still quiet as he let Wally help him up. Wally looked at him with worry, finally noticing his state. Henry?

Henry glanced at him, then away, it somehow became hard to look at him proper. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.” Henry without waiting a second, practically marched out of the room.

Wally couldn’t agree more, this atmosphere was suffocating! And Henry…

Wally picked his friend’s- ur, ‘his’ wrench from the ground and followed the other out the door, the man already a couple yards ahead of him.

He was just as scared as he was wasn’t he? He didn't know everything that was going on, but he had been here long enough to get the gist of it.

His feet hit the ink, and he couldn’t help but worry that the substance would drag him down into death. Maybe it already had and he just couldn’t remember. He just woke up one day a blank slate. Maybe that’s why Henry was like this?

The ink tugged at his legs, as if the souls it hid were clinging to him in a desperate plea, and he watched Henry in sympathy as he approached the end of the river. Henry had, jumped earlier, scared by what seemed to be his own reflection.

Wally sighed, even with knowing what his poor friend was going through, he couldn’t help but feel almost envious by the fact that Henry remembered his LIFE _, his family, _his face._ This world outside the studio. _ While he only had glimpses, and he had a strong feeling that remembering his name was just some one in a million fluke that never should’ve happened. Like in any other reality he’d be simply ’ _Boris'._ It gave him chills.

Wally took a glance at Henry’s reflection just for the heck of it.

His heart reached his ears. It wasn’t a bendy in the reflection. In fact it wasn’t even something scary. It was a short little old man wearing a suite; with bushy eyebrows, and a too bushy mustache. A man, wearing the same tired expression as his friend.

Henry stepped onto dry wood, the reflection disappearing all together. Wally looked onward, baffled as he slowly trudged in the ink. And a smile crossed his face. Okay, that was LOONEY. But that was HENRY. What he was supposed to look like. What a HUMAN is supposed to look like!

He picked up his pace to follow the old man, leaving the cursed ink to see Henry already entering the elevator. His solemn expression made Wally's expression fall, and he walked slower as he trudged past Henry when he entered.

Henry pressed level 9, and Wally didn't bother picking up the bag he left on the floor when he stood in the same little corner he’d been claiming his own.

 _“ _Once upon a time there was an angel._ ” _Cause he felt the safest in that corner. _“ _And she was beautiful. And loved by all. She was perfect._ ” _Wally winced, gripping himself as the angel uttered a sob, _“ _No matter what Joey says.” That plea meant too many things._ _ One being the reason he had to stay away from her.

Wally, solem, looked at Henry. They both were terrified. But yet Henry was braver than him by far, able to keep them going. And he was… a nervous wreck. He didn't even have the guts to head over to the elevator after learning about the angel before meeting Henry.

The elevator doors opened, and Wally moved to step out, but the second Henry turned to take the syringe; Wally lost his nerve. He even pressed the button to shut the doors when the man stepped out. He watched Henry, as if he'd be able to catch any foul play from her. Which was ironic when you consider him warning Henry with his _current communication skills._

He hit his head against the metal bars, dejected and upset with himself as a fearful tremur ran through him. He turned himself around, away from the angel’s sanctuary, his hands shaking painfully as they slid off the bars. Just as before, the only thing in the elevator was the makeshift bag made from some spare overalls. The garment still holding the pipe wrench and his bone as they stuck out from their holes. And of course, the assortment of bacon soup cans.

A smile crept onto his muzzle. There was one thing he remembered being good at though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments mean the world to me! I reply to and love each one!


	9. I Have a Dream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In 1963 The Birmingham Children’s Crusade took place. In 1963 President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. 
> 
> And in early 1963, Henry Stein walked into Joey Drew Studios.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY! I meant to post this on Bendy's Birthday along with the previous chapter, but I really struggled with the ending, had to scrap and redo it a couple times. (I'm a little self conscious about it so tell me what you think) I hope you guys like it.
> 
> There's actually a Birthday cake reference here. ;)

The trash can screeched when Henry dropped the syringe inside. “ ** _You know this next task well~._** ”

Alice spoke darkly. Henry looked up emptily, curious at the words. “Go to the third level, fetch me the power cores. I missed some **the last time you tried to kill me.** ” Henry looked away with a troubled snare, he kind of wished the demon had.

She then started to laugh, her chuckle echoing hauntingly, “ _It's so wonderful having you run my errands._ ”

“I’d hope your little plan works demon. Otherwise all you’ve done would be pointless wouldn't it?” Plan? He narrowed his eyes. As in escaping? “That's why you're doing this isn't it? To try to find a way **to set us free.** ” her high voice dropped low as his eyes grew wide before the speakers cut off; like if she knew something not even the ‘Ink Demon’ knew and was laughing at him for it. It uneased Henry on what it could be, but she just said that the Ink Demon would save them. _Like what Sammy had said._

The pillar by the door opened, getting Henry's attention. He walked sullenly toward it, but perked his eye at the new tool as he grabbed it. A plunger? How was he supposed to get ‘power cores’ with a plunger? He didn't even know what they looked like!

He looked toward her door at his musings, before turning away in a frustrated march. Oh no way! He’d be dead before he asked that psycho for any help!

...Okay, maybe that was the wrong choice of words.

Henry was certain he’d figure it out when they got to the floor, but stars was he having a hell of a day.

His hollow mood prevented him from paying attention to the wolf as Wally pressed the button for the elevator. He watched emptily through the bars as their elevator went higher, and higher.

The doors opened as they stopped, and Henry's face fell in confusion as he took in the sight of floor K. “I don't think I saw any power cores here…” Henry made to take a step when Wally raised his palm in front of him just as he also reclosed the elevator doors.

“Wally?” Henry eyed him carefully as his friend went to their bag, untying it and throwing a bacon soup can for Henry to catch. Henry glanced at it, “I’m not sure this is the time for-” Wally pushed Henry's shoulder down, forcing him to sit and Wally plopped down right next to him with his own can.

“She’ll get mad.” The reasoning however was weak as he watched the other. Now that he thought about it, he was pretty hungry.

Wally in response, pulled out a paper from his pocket and passed it to the man. One side, the sentences from their previous conversation, the other, a new, prewritten message. “Sunshine, can wait a while.”

Henry chuckled light heartedly. This was probably a bad idea and he knew Wally knew this, but horse feathers did he need a break! With expert precision, he popped the lid off, chugging most of the can’s contents. He licked his lips, “Is it me or did this stuff get better? I'm so hungry it's like I haven't eaten in years!” Wally silently laughed as he took a gulp of his can and grabbed his pencil from his overalls.

“I’m so glad we found a pencil. I doubt I’d handle only having ink to draw with. Ugh the mistakes I make when I don't!” Henry smiled as he watched the other write. “You better not lose that before I steal it from you.” Wally glanced at him and rushed to write more. Seeing this, Henry waited ‘til Wally finished and passed him the paper.

“I’d hope it stays like that! I’ve been here eating this stuff since it was new! I saw a plant growing out a bowl before!” Henry gave a laugh before reading below it. “How can you still love drawing anyway?” Henry narrowed an eye, not too surprised by the comment as he handed the paper back.

“I’ve always loved drawing. Calms me down even. I ain't gonna stop cause of a few bad memories. It's part of my personality at this point.” He took a sip of his can. “What about you. Got anything you like?”

Wally shrugged before writing a note, “I don't remember. All I gots my liking for food and mechanic work."

Henry frowned slightly, and seeing this, Wally rushed to write a message down on another sheet, “I do however remember stealing a cake somewhere at the studio though.”

Henry smirked at the other, “Oh did you now?”

Wally grinned, showing his wolf teeth. “A big chocolate one just laying around. And oh was it good.”

Henry laughed out loud as the toon spread his hands apart to show how big the desert was, and Wally was excited to see it. This was how Henry was supposed to be, and a longing curiosity got to Wally from it.

“Can you tell me about your family?”

Henry smiled, “Gladly.” Henry took another drink of his soup and started rubbing the back of his head. Where to start?

“I met Linda during high school, though we were going to different schools at the time. She was like me back then. Didn't talk to others much and read books instead of drawing. Heh. Her favorite is still ‘1984’.” Another drink, before he looked at the other gently, “Angel was adopted as a baby and is 12 now.” He laughed.

“Already she's like her mother. She's a real fighter, and one hell of a smart kid.” The way he talked was with intense pride, lighting up like a beacon. “She doesn't know much ‘bout the world, but she can tell when something’s wrong.” She’d… know that he was gone for too long.

Henry tried to keep his smile going despite the hint of guilt. “ _She's_ lectured me about working too hard.”

Wally was smiling as Henry went on. Albeit, he didn't know what some of the things Henry talked about were, but it filled him with wonder nonetheless hearing about the real world.

“Yeah you're definitely the hard worker sort. But if I had it my way, I'd sit back and sleep each chance I got!” He chugged the rest of his can as Henry read it.

Henry snickered, “I wouldn't blame you for it.” He gave Wally back the paper. Just look at this place.

Wally opened a new can for him to eat, passing one to Henry as well. Henry's life sounded great. But...

“Will Linda be okay with you being a toon?” Henry hadn't told him about how he felt after.. the 'Bendy' incident, and he didn't want to bring it up and upset the other. Yet, he could see it was bothering him.

“ _Heh._ ” Henry pried the lid off, and stretched his grin, “You kidding? With this cute face?” He winked, hands pointing at himself, “She’ll love me more!” She wouldn't leave him even with this. He loved Linda, and vise versa. But, would that be fair to her?

He couldn't stop the thought. Would he be a burden? He was losing his mind for crying out loud. No no, he wasn't going to dwell on it. He took a gulp of his food. For now, he was going HOME.

Well that was good to hear Wally thought. “What makes _Mrs. Stein_ so great anyway?” He wrote out.

“ _Linda._ ” The reaction was instant, the man's cartoon widow’s peak slanting over his eyes with his love stricken smile.

“ _Oh she’s something._ Smart, defiant, hard working. Will work harder than _me_ , and the only thing she’ll complain ‘bout is me not spending ‘nough time with Angel.” Henry snickered, oh he was never going to say no to a bedtime story ever again.

“ _And she’s SO beautiful!_ ” Henry sang the words, throwing his head up with his hands, “The first time I saw her, I couldn’t keep my eyes off. She thought I was giving her some nasty looks and I almost didn’t get a conversation going at all!” He laid on his back with half lidded eyes. He still remembered how she glared at him. “You’d like her Wally.”

He covered his face, gushing, “Oh she’s perfect! Pale blue eyes, full lips. _Skin like charcoal!_ ” He cheered it. But then his eyes widened, and he shot upright in panic. “I-mean. I. Well-” He was sputtering, frantic, but instantly stilled upon catching Wally’s smug look. Watching him as he wrote a note out.

“She sounds lovely~.” Wally had thought Henry's panic was about him realizing he had been acting like a love sick fool. But to Wally’s surprise, Henry wasn’t embarrassed at the teasing.

“You. don’t care that Linda’s black?” Well that was odd.

“Why would I? I’m black and white.” He perked his eye as he handed him the paper. Henry just stared at him, dumbfounded.

Then he smiled, a grey blush cascading his cheeks as he started laughing, huge relief settling over him. “Yeah you’re right.” It was silly to think Wally would.

“Sorry, I guess I'm used to getting criticized for being with her.” He had been so scared his friend would hate him. He could handle a stranger judging him, but a friend? He already felt what that was like.

Wally frowned, “What ya mean?”

"Well,” Henry hesitated, playing with his fingers, “outside gots some issues at the moment…” Wally wouldn't even know what race was.

“People who hate folks by their looks insist on keeping these laws to keep people separate. The wife and I participate in protests regularly to fight it. And… they can get pretty violent.” Oh he didn't want to start on what happened at the children's march the month before. He was glad they never took Angel to them, “Even in the 40s a restaurant owner threatened to shoot us when we did a sit in.”

Sit in? As in they only sat down and that happened? Wally's face fell, he didn't know how to respond hearing this about the world he had so long wanted to reach. “Did you have to deal with that in the war?” ‘Buy Bonds’ were often on the posters at the studio.

Henry waved his hands dismissively, “No no. I was never in a war.” He reached for his soup. “Only good by owning part of the studio was that we were hired to promote the war instead of drafted, and missed the second one by chance.” Second? There was a 'second' war?

“But the real world ain't all bad!” Henry grinned wide, “Why there's this fella named Martin Luther that's been making _some big head way!_ Speaking to the President and everything!” Henry spread his arms out wide as if it’d say how big of a deal it really was, “I’m telling ya Wally, this is the time to be alive! _Equality is just around the corner!_ ”

Wally smiled brightly. Well if Henry was so sure. Besides the real world had to be much better than this place. He didn't care where he ended up, just as long as he got outta here!

Wait. If Henry didn't go to war, then why did he leave? Wally frowned as a potential reason occurred to him.

No, he knew how Joey upset Henry already. But. He knew _nothing_ of him. This man that doomed him to this. That made this hell. He had to know.

He put his empty can to the side, and wrote slowly. Henry frowned, sensing the instant shift in mood.

“Who is Joey?”

“Joey?” Henry looked away from the note and down at his empty can, swirling around the last sip of juice. He rested his back against the bars, looking nowhere in memory. It already put a pit in Wally's stomach.

“Joey was my partner in the art studio. We both were animators trying to make it big and met by chance at a theatre, and he so happened to have the money to start something.” Henry shrugged his shoulders, setting his eyes down cast.

“Joey seemed… nice at first, but soon after we started the company he, started taking advantage of me letting things go. I worked, and worked, and let Joey take his share and _mine_. I was-” He sighed, dropping his can by the bars. Wally was listening intently, awed yet disturbed by how Henry knew Joey.

“I wasn't- I’m not rich,” Henry looked to the side, “so I thought that was the only way I could make it. And so things stayed that way.” Wally put his food down, frowning in sympathy towards the other.

“Until… until Bendy. I wanted a character that was kind to teach people not to judge someone by looks, _and a demon did just that!_ ” His voice rose, still not looking at Wally. Not once looking at him.

Henry's face scrunched painfully, “But then. Joey kept _insisting_ Bendy be mischievous, again and again. Then before I knew what happened, he had ALL the rights to him!” His eyes shot open, hands flailing with his outrage. “The show, _the character, the name!_ The only way I could keep Bendy was to continue working for _him!_ And I.” His voice broke with his fight, “I just couldn't.”

Henry wrapped his arms around him, hugging himself. “Bendy was supposed to change people, I gave up everything I had to make him. And Joey took that away. _I couldn't watch Bendy become a. ‘Hell spawn.’_ ” A pit formed in Henry's gut at the irony. The Ink Demon’s smile displaying itself in his mind.

“...When. Joey sent me that letter to drop by. I did.” Henry’s grip on his shoulders tensed up, “I remember us talking, laughing, but the next thing I remember is **_I’m wandering HERE!_** ” He shot his hands near his face, fingers partly clenched in anguish, “ _I’m here trapped, scared, running for my life because of him!_ And…”

Henry wrapped his arms around his legs, seeming small; Wally growing more disquieted. “I was going to forgive him.”

He shut his eyes, “I thought he was going to apologize and. _I was going to forgive him._ ” Wally looked on with wide eyes at his friend as his voice broke, taken back by the raw emotion.

Henry shook his head, “I don't know how, _or why_. But I KNOW Joey sent me here on purpose.” Henry lowered his head into his crossed arms. “ I know...”

Wally watched him in concern, guilt at upsetting Henry wrecking him. He grit his teeth and looked away, not sure how to respond. “Wally, I’m scared.” His eyes widened, and turned back to the other, he wasn't finished.

“Not cause I’m trapped, but because I’m getting _worse._ ” Henry looked at him, “I’m hearing whispers, _my emotions aren't mine, I’m hallucinating,_ _I’M BECOMING BENDY!_ ” Henry shut his eyes as he screamed it, and Wally's ears fell instantly against his head. Horror engulfing his chest as shock stunned him brutally.

No, not like Sammy, _not like Alic-_

 _Not his friend, WHY HIM?!_ Wally clenched his teeth, as if he could take back the words. He knew Henry was struggling, but he didn't think- _he hoped his friend hadn't-_

“I. Don’t think we can turn back.” Henry’s words brought him to reality, forcing Wally to acknowledge what he was saying. What he was implying. “Only Joey truly knows how to work the ink machine and he _clearly_ doesn’t know how to fix things. And I don’t think I have enough time for us to figure it out.” Don't. Don’t say that.

“I just want to LEAVE.” Henry whispered the words, and it broke Wally's heart. The refusal to acknowledge hope. Wally thought on this, and his hands clenched tightly as his mind went cold. He had to accept what Henry was going through, what he wanted, right then and now.

Okay.

He brought a gentle hand onto Henry's shoulder, and Henry tensed at the tender assurance. A deafening pause passed over them, confirming the choice.

“ _Wally, you okay. With living with my wife and I?_ ” Wally's grip on Henry's shoulder tightened as he nodded.

Henry let a sob, “ _Would you be willing to watch a mischievous Bendy too?_ ” He picked his head up, ink tears staining his face as he looked at Wally.

The wolf’s heart squeezed at the thought, and he shook his head yes violently as he tried to hold back his own tears. Henry seemed to cry harder, letting himself cry out all his stress.

Wally listened dejectedly as he moved to sit right next to him. His chest aching more with each breath. Henry's tears were extremely quiet, and he could feel him shaking as he held Henry's shoulder.

Wally lifted his head up, looking around them. He spotted his bone in the corner, and he fixated on it. He turned toward Henry, and made up his mind and grabbed the bone.

Henry felt the shift in movement, and peeked his head up to see Wally grasping the femur in his hand, looking at the bone sadly. Wally grabbed his pencil again and passed Henry the message he wrote.

“Want to know why I have this bone?” Henry gazed up at Wally confused, watching as the mechanic went to write again. And his eyes strayed to the femur, realistic and so human. He wasn't sure if he did want to know, but there was no hesitation when he took the paper Wally gave him.

“It's cause I worry I’ll forget who I am. That I’ll wake up one day and think I’m a toon.” Henry saw Wally rub his arm as he stared at him sadly. “Not Wally. Just Boris the Wolf.”

Looking back up, Wally had already went back to writing. Finishing rather quickly.

“I keep the thing ‘cause it reminds me that I'm human.” Henry stared at the human femur, then at Wally in sad bewilderment. Then a light smile appeared on Henry's face as he wiped his tears. Wally wanted to share something personal too, it was nice. A similar smile crossed Wally's face at this. Henry took the next message from him.

“But I think that backfired cause now I like chewing on it.” What?

Henry looked up slightly mortified, only to see Wally smiling sheepishly with an oh so dramatic shrug.

Wally was joking. Well mostly. But it had Henry emitting a snicker anyway.

“So what it's your chew toy now?”

Wally mocked being wounded, placing a hand over his heart as he threw himself back. Henry died with laughter, Wally joining him with his own mute ones. The sound echoing on the empty floor.

“Thank you.” Wally blinked, caught off guard. “I needed that.” Henry was looking at him, a soft, genuine smile present.

Wally frowned, shaking his head, “I’m sorry. I shouldn't have brought him up.” He wrote.

Henry waved it away, “No. It needed to be to be said. Hell knows we weren't talking about it.” Joey nor his mental state. “And I ain't the type to bring it up unprompted.”

His eyes became half lidded, as he smiled gently. “And. I think I’ll be okay. I actually feel like things will be alright.”

Wally's shoulders fell, he was still conflicted about Henry not trying to fix himself, but he strained a smile at the happy tone.

Henry looked up, eyes searching for the siren. Alice hadn't been talking. He was a bit worried about what she could be doing. Wally noticed and instantly realized what he was thinking.

Nope. This was supposed to cheer Henry up, he wasn't messing that up again! But what?- A grin spread onto his face as the idea hit him. He hunched over his paper on the floor, moving his pencil in rapid succession.

Henry, ‘as an artist’, picked this up and noticed Wally. Drawing? ‘Instinct’ took hold and he moved to look over, only for Wally to cover his hand over the sheet. Henry pouted as he was forced to ‘watch’, the only visible part of the pencil moving in fast circles and lines, experience letting him see the difference when Wally shifted to writing letters. Then Wally showed his masterpiece, proudly holding it out to Henry.

Henry snickered, a hand instantly going to cover his mouth. Wally had drawn (a very crude) Alice Angel, toon gloves and all, making a mockery of a scary face. Hands raised and curled to go with her ‘fanged’ snare, and her messed up halo and missing eye. To the right of her head, an arrow pointing to her with the word “UGLY” above.

It was GLORIOUS.

Henry couldn't help it, he started laughing, boisterous. “ _W-Wally-_ " laugh, “ _Wally I love you right now!_ ” Geeze the lines were so bad.

Henry clapped, “That's it. I’m drawing!” Henry was already grabbing a paper left on the floor, hands reaching for the pencil next.

And the opportunity struck him.

Wally pulled it away, and Henry looked on puzzled, “Ugh. May I please have the pencil?” Wally grinned _evilly_ in response.

 _Oh no._ His daughter gave him that look. “Wally.” Henry went to grab it, only for Wally to yank it out of reach. “Don't you dare.” A smile crawled on Henry's face.

Henry reached for the pencil, “ _I know what you're doing!_ ” Wally pulled away.

“ _Quit it!_ Henry stretched his arm for it, leaning over the wolf.

" _Give me the pencil._ ” Wally grinning as he pushed him back. Henry laughed as he continued reaching for the pencil. Wally's body shook with silent laughs, pleased with himself.

“ _Wally we’re adults!_

Yeah. He’d make sure Henry still had his smile. That was his talent after all~.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MAN I'M ACTUALLY HERE!  
> You guys have no idea, I've been waiting to write the next chapter since I first came up with this AU.  
> I'M SO EXCITED TO WRITE IT!
> 
> Hopefully I'll finish it soon!  
> \---  
> By the way, I think it'd be fun to have an ask blog for this! Feel free to go here and ask Henry or Wally themselves something!  
> I'll answer anything as long as it doesn't spoil what I'm doing. ;)  
> https://novicsink.tumblr.com/


	10. Wally

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Franks is another word for hot dog.  
> Too bad this one's feeling rather cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took a while! This is the longest chapter I've written yet! And I've gotten to the two digit mark too, I've never done that before! I'm proud of myself~.  
> But I regret to say the next chapter may take a while, so please be patient with me I'll be busy.
> 
> (I did go back and edit this to make it flow better and to add the Elvis song. I just, really wanted that in.)

“Now you always wanna sketch where you want the hands first before you do the arms. That’s it. Now you wanna CURVE the arms, no elbows. And don’t be afraid to use references and look at something to get the proper measurements.” Henry grinned above Wally, looking at the picture of ‘Boris’ strewn on the floor.

“Look at that! You’re lines are still rough. But your proportions are spot on!” Guess being a mechanic helped him out. Wally smiled at Henry’s praise. He picked up his work and pointed toward the hands.

Henry waved his own hand in a ‘not now’ motion. “Don’t worry, I’ll teach you how to do hands. I know a few tricks for them.” ‘Those’ could be difficult sometimes. Henry moved from behind Wally. “Practice what I showed you first though alright?”

Wally nodded, standing too and helped pick up the mess around them, placing the pipe wrench and bone with the cans. Glancing at Henry's doodles of ‘Boris's’ sketched outline and even a ‘cartoon’ Linda, smiling cheekily before folding the paper they had used into his front pocket afterwards. Just below the cloth that Wally kept wrapped around his stomach.

Henry retied the knot of the ‘bag’. And he noticed that it was noticeably lighter as he turned to look at Wally, “You still want to carry this?”

Wally shrugged as he reached for the bag, there didn’t seem to be a reason NOT to bring it, and if they got stuck somewhere _he’d prefer to have food with him._ To Wally’s mild surprise, Henry helped him put on the funky garment, tying the pant legs around his waist snugly. He perked an eye at the ‘dad’ gesture but didn’t stop him, smiling to himself at the silliness.

“ _La, dadada la da, daaah_.” They froze, Alice’s light, haunting voice echoing down the halls. So close to them. “ _La, dadada la daaahhh._ ” She was roaming.

Wally took one glance at Henry, before slamming his hand on the button. The elevator, screeching as it carried them down. Henry clenched his teeth as his shook his head, feeling almost dizzy all of a sudden. He took a worried look at Wally, the wolf gripping his skull, pressing his long ears tightly against his head. Like he was trying to block out the sounds around him.

What was she doing traveling the halls? Was that why she hadn’t interrupted them at all? Henry picked up the wrench and plunger from the floor. It disturbed him not knowing what she could be doing. Henry offered the wrench to Wally as the last of the quiet melody finally ended.

Wally looked at him, freeing his ears before grabbing the plunger instead. Unlike the other, the mechanic knew how to get the power cores, it was best if he had it. Wally looked at Henry nervously before reaching for a sheet of paper, the elevator stopping as he started to write.

“She’s quite the toon huh?” Henry stressed a smile that matched Wally’s own.

“Heh. Don’t give _me credit_.” It broadened as Henry cupped his mouth, “Alice was _all_ Joey’s work.” Wally let out a light snort, as his ears perked up. An odd relief warming him at knowing Henry had nothing to do with the toon. 

“You know, there's a song that reminds me of her. It just came out. Even an old man like me can't help but like it.” He perked an eye as he let Henry lead the way out, calmly following onto floor 'P'. He remembered this level being more clean than most of the others, but he’d only been here a couple times. It wasn’t too long after that he met the angel.

Henry cleared his nonexistent throat as they turned the corner. “ _You look like an angel. Walk like an angel. Talk like an angel~._ ” Wally pulled a smile as Henry deepened his voice, emphasizing the first word of each line.

“ _But I got wise~._ ” Henry suddenly smirked as he brought a hand to his chest. “ _You're the devil in disguise!_ "

Wally chortled _hard_ , chuckling as he watched Henry practically dance away. “Oh yes you are. The devil in _disguise!_ ” Okay, who’s the genius that wrote that song? “ _I thought that I was in heaven. But I was sure surprised. Heaven help me, I didn't see. The devil in your eyes!_ ”

Henry chuckled, “You gotta love Elvis!”

As the man’s words faded, Wally’s eyes trailed on the message of ink on the wall before looking away. He spotted a ‘Charely’ laying on a table behind a glassed room and definitely looked away from that, deciding to focus on Henry's joke instead. Elvis huh? He’d have to look out for some records by the guy when they got out.

Now, if he was being honest. He knew that he let his fear get the best of him. Experience making him want to run and hide. But. He looked at Henry, the man watching the dead body carefully. He felt braver with Henry. 

He smiled, patting the shorter’s shoulder and walked past him to where he knew they needed to go. Searchers, butcher gang, projectors, Sammy, he’d seen them all. But, he felt like he could handle them with someone like that next to him.

He lifted his plunger next to the vertical pipes attached to the wall, twisting his plunger over the valves with the faint memory he had of doing it as a worker. Henry smiled, Wally’s good mood easing him. He studied him closely, watching as the ink in each pipe lowered and rose with each turn of their valves. Humming the upbeat tune as he waited.

With a “Zzt!”, the panel next to them opened, and Wally confidently pulled out the steel cylinder-thing inside. Henry grinned at the easy task as he moved to open the door next to them knowing what to do now. Wally happily followed into the room with its giant glass windows covering its three walls, passing the Little Miracle Station outside of it.

Wally spotted the next pipes quickly enough near a bare table. He almost jumped remembering that a ‘corpse’ had been on it, but remembered that they tended to melt when dead. He placed the power core on it and stood by a patient Henry, waiting for him to work the valves he would hardly reach. Wally turned the tool in his fists to level the pressure where they should be. He was on the second of the three when he realized he couldn't get the plunger off.

He pulled, the hold not budging. Henry perked an eye as the wolf struggled. He shook his head as he held back a laugh, moving to help the ‘poor’ toon. But he didn't expect Wally to suddenly pull free and elbow him in the head.

Wally grinned at his success before seeing that the old valve had come off, still stuck to the plunger. “ _Wallyyyy._ ” Alert at Henry's call, Wally jumped as he turned around. He stared in disbelief, before straining a painful smile trying not to laugh.

“ _Don't you dare laugh at me!_ ” Henry chastised from the ground, his body frantically trying to pick his head up, failing horribly since his removed head couldn't see himself.

“Just. Help me up!” Wally covered his muzzle to try to stop himself as he watched Henry bounce around, staying put. Henry saw this as a no.

“Really?” This was NOT PLEASANT! HE, was already a cartoon! He did NOT need the experience either!

“You're evil you know that?” Wally merely chuckled harder at the insult. Henry's hands felt only wood and glass, nothing to hint that he was close to his head. The lack of coordination causing his body to miss him entirely or bump into him and roll off. “Guah!” Wally grinned watching it.

He yelped as his head rolled again, “ _Why did I write this gag?!_ ”

 _He did what?_ Wally lost it, gripping his sides as he bent over in mute laughter. Consuming him so badly that he couldn't breathe.

Henry grunted, bending his body down to crawl, tapping the floor CAREFULLY. Mumbling in irritation on the way. When Henry _finally_ got his head back on his shoulders he glared hard at Wally, “Thank you for the help.”

Wally laughed harder, simultaneously trying to force himself to stop so he could have some air. Henry rolled his eyes at the other as Wally calmed down. “Well aren't you having a field day?” He muttered. So apparently his head was removable. Henry decided that he already hated this new discovery.

“ _Grua_.”

The sound alerted his hearing and Henry saw movement from behind the glass. He perked an eye, unsure if he saw right. Cautiously, Henry stepped out the door to see, his wrench forgotten on the floor.

Wally took faint notice of Henry moving, focusing his attention on prying the busted valve off his plunger. Tugging on it ‘til it came off with a pop, giving way relatively easily, smiling when it did.

Henry peeked his head around the corner, seeing a shadow hover around the doorway straight ahead. The odd armed creature fumbling with an object. A chipper grin stretched largely onto his face.

Wally heard the loud spark as he turned the last valve, the ink all leveled with one another, and smiled. Not wasting time, he stretched his hand out to grab the power core.

“Hi Edgar!”

Wally's eyes widened, whipping his head around to peer through the glass. A very happy ‘Henry’ waving a hand to the spider toon with teeth at the top of his head, his real mouth sewn shut to go with his mangled three arms.

“How's the _sweetest boy_ of the Butcher Gang doing?” The Demon cooed. Wally ran, dashing through the door, “The fellas treating you alright?” And around the corner.

“ _Grrah!_ ” The creature’s teeth chattered, Edgar lurching forward with a threatening air.

“Kiddo?” ‘Bendy’ paused, taken aback by the violent indignation. Edgar raised its arm braced with steel, the power core stuck to the iron metal, when Bendy felt a grip snatch him up from behind.

Before he could blink, he was pulled away, Edgar giving chase, and brought into a wooden shelter. The toon banged outside, hitting the wood roughly, almost shaking the station. Whining as Bendy peered up at his heaving friend. The wolf scared and distracted in the snug area.

_Oh no oh no oh no! Not Again!!! NOT-_

“Boris?” That caught Wally's attention, and he looked down at ‘Henry’, his chest calming as the toon outside left, but his fear not leaving for an all too different reason.

Bendy met his eyes with a gentle gaze, a foreign gaze. Like he himself didn't know Wally all too well either. But then looked down with a guilty expression when he no longer could. “Sorry… I thought, he’d be different.” His eyes looked sad and he shook his head. “He was always nicer than Charley and Barely in the cartoons.”

Wally nodded, perhaps too harshly, the situation finally settling in. He was flustered, shaken, as he looked sideways, not sure what to do now, and eyed his concerned friend with a worry stronger than his. Did he even know what was going on like this? His bag suddenly weighed him down like iron.

Bendy picked this up and so made to open the door. Panicked, Wally shot out a hand for his shoulder to stop him, the door with just a fraction of light showing. Bendy perked a brow at his touch before smiling.

“Don't worry! He’s gone!” He opened the door wider, “See!”

Wally darted his eyes around furiously, but sure enough the creature indeed was gone. Nowhere to be seen. Bendy stepped calmly out, smiling at the other as Wally took his own shaky ones. He heard a rolling sound, and noticed a power core at Bendy's feet. It's only reason for it being there would be that it fell off when the mangled toon had banged on the station.

Wally bent down to pick it up as his friend moved inside the room from before all too aware of his presence. Watching as Bendy picked up the plunger he dropped, examining it curiously. Like he hadn’t yet to see it.

 _He had to snap Henry out of it!_ His feet moved a step but halted, their earlier conversation echoing within his mind.

What if he _didn’t_ come back? What if he just pointlessly traumatized him by doing something similar to what he did before? Scared him off? Or caused him not to trust him? And accidentally put him in danger?

Bendy found Henry’s wrench next as Wally shakily pulled out the power core from the wall panel he hadn’t gotten the chance to grab. He glanced at ‘Henry’, and realized he had to treat him as a whole new person. Henry’s calm attitude, hope they’ll get out, bravery, his calculating mind. How much of it changed? How much of his friend, was switched with a stranger?

‘Bendy’ couldn’t guide them out and he. He SHOULDN’T. He was scared of EVERYTHING. He’d PANIC. He’d. Stars, he’d have to face _her!_

What was he going to do without Henry?

Wally placed the two cores with the one from the table grabbing the demon’s attention, trembling as he moved. Bendy tilted his head, peering over the table, placing his own tools on it. “Whatcha got there?” He frowned though, spotting the weird parts.

Wally, a bit startled, took off his bag, and set it with the tools, hesitating before taking the pencil and paper out. He wrote a vague note in answer.

“Power.. Cores?” Bendy read it out loud, unlike Henry, as Wally placed the cores in the overalls. “Why do you have those?” His face was pulled into concern and worry as Wally knotted the straps.

“Boris… you’re not. Doing something for ‘her’ are you..?” Wally slowed as the bag hit his shoulders. He looked curiously at Henry, taken aback.

“You know about Alice?”

Bendy scowled, “That IMPOSTOR ain’t Alice, and of course I know ‘bout her.” Wally tied the pant legs around his waist. “My question is if you’re doing something for her!”

Wally looked away at the disapproving look, “We need to get out.” He wrote.

“Get out?” Bendy asked, “Did she promise to let us out if you did this? Boris you know what she does!”

Wally didn’t expect to be berated, nor did he feel comfortable answering. Instead he picked up the tools and paper in one armful, rushing out.

“ _Boris!_ ” heading toward the door, “Ya can’t trust her!” Was this Henry’s inner doubts? What he kept from voicing?

Was he right?

“ _She’s a monster! A lair!_ ” Bendy tugged at Wally’s pants trying to stop him. It surprised Wally but he marched on. He flinched a little when Bendy fell on his rear.

“ _Grr!_ ” No. This was their only way out, he had to try. He had to protect Henry now. Even if it meant going against his protests.

“Boris, _listen!_ ” Bendy was ignored though as his friend turned the corner. No doubt expecting him to be close behind. He stood with a huff. Stubborn wolf. What was he thinking going to her?

A metal clang reached his sensitive hearing and he realized Boris was at the elevator. Oh don’t you dare go down there! He rushed, nearly tripping over his feet as he ran to the spot. Barely catching a bit of a worried expression on the wolf as he entered.

Wally sighed with relief inside the elevator, having gotten scared for the one second he wasn't with him. He didn't seem to notice the smaller’s stiff posture as he already was working on freeing his hands, placing the items in his pocket. As he looked toward the buttons, he realized with a sickening feeling that he'd have to be the one to go down and give the parts. It upset him dearly, but he had too. However, as ‘Boris’ started moving toward the buttons, Bendy suddenly had the same idea.

Bendy darted to the panel, pressing a random button. Wally blinked, dumbstrucked by the action as he watched Bendy look to the side, arms crossed behind his back. Like a child pretending they did nothing wrong but did.

And he should have snapped out of it, ‘cause the second the doors opened, Bendy pulled him down by the strap and snatched a power core from in the bag. The toon charging onto the floor of level 11. His feet already dashing toward the door here.

Wally’s eyes widened as he sprinted to follow through the door, barely catching sight of Bendy climbing the stairs with expert precision. He raced the other up the steps, panic in his heart at his friend potentially entering danger.

_No! No! Henry stop!!!_

But only his thoughts could scream it. And Bendy's run just kept on, while Wally tried not to hit the wall as he pushed his hardest to meet him. The weight he carried slowing him down quickly. Bendy was fast, and Wally was forced to pause and heaved, looking up in wonder at the other’s speed and stamina before charging after.

Bendy's feet touched a layer of flat floor again, hardly winded and already racing for the next line of stairs. Bendy looked behind him with a smile, happy for successfully distracting Boris. And it caused him to miss the ink puddle on the floor. His shiny shoes hit it and he slipped, the core flying from his hands as he hit the flat ground. He pushed himself up on his hands and knees, surprised by the fall as he heard Wally climb higher, closer.

And then he heard singing.

“..Alice?” He stood, head perked as the singing grew louder, his heart pounding in hope. He heard Boris halt his moving. But mostly, he heard a song he knew all too well. His feet moved toward the next level of stairs; with both trepidation, and longing. That song, _that was their song._

Wally yanked him back, “Gaugh-” covering the demon’s mouth with his gloved hand and held onto him tightly so he wouldn't escape. “ _Hmm?!_ ” Wally pulled him into a long hall splattered with ink. Bendy pulled on his arm, trying to get Wally to release him, when he heard faint running.

His eyes looked straight toward the stairs, to the now vacant floor, when Edgar, the one sure to be the one from before appeared from the side. Not looking at them, but up above. Its teeth chattered curiously, listening to the melody. It moved up the steps, following the sound of the song. The notes slowly fading as their source traveled its territory.

Wally held his grip ‘til Bendy’s own eased, stunned into silence. Bendy looked at the other, and Wally turned his head away at his stare, gripping his arms uneasily with his drooping ears. It upset him more than he expected.

“I-.” Bendy paused, not sure what to say, “I didn't mean-.” Wally turned, looking around the floor and hall. Bendy tilted his head down guilty, already he made the same mistake twice. This time he had known better though. But he couldn't stop himself from hoping. Hoped that it’d been her, instead of the false angel.

There. “...Do you think Alice is real? The toon?” Wally paused his step toward the power core at the edge of the wall. “We’re real. Maybe. She was made… too?” His voice broke with his uncertainty.

Wally glanced at him, Bendy's lost piecut eyes mirroring Henry's own. How. How was he supposed to answer that? Wally turned back, refusing to lie nor to tell the truth, reaching for the fallen power core instead.

Bendy saw, and his expression morphed into a sad, angry sneer. _Even after that, he still insisted on doing this for her? He knew what she could do and was going to risk it anyway?! Well there was no way he was going to stand still and lose him!_

He ran, grabbing the core before Wally could and tossed it into the well at the end of the hall. Splashing as it disappeared underneath.

Bendy grinned, Wally gazing at the flooded pit in shock. Wally stumbled toward it, his feet splashing in the ink puddles. Picking up in pace before his hands reached desperately in the ink, frantic hands touching stairs or nothing. Each motion finding only ink.

Bendy frowned at Wally's panic, a tightness in his heart, and he stepped closer toward the other. “Pal come on. W-we don't need that.” He tried to smile, when Wally dived in.

“ _Boris!_ ” Bendy reached out, snagging the wolf’s overalls tightly. Reeling back as he pulled ‘til Wally’s head popped out of the ink. The two of them landed on the ground with a yelp, their landing dizzying as they got thrown off kilter.

Bendy shook his head and quickly zipped toward the disoriented other, looking him over. “ _Are you crazy?!_ You could melt!” Bendy grabbed the other’s hands. Was the dripping ink from the river? “It ain't worth a few minutes for that lousy-” Wally yanked his hands away, not looking at him, a aggravated face present. It stunned Bendy into silence.

He. really was counting on this?

Wally saw his reason for being angry, but he’d been just fine earlier. He’s trucked through ink a few times with mainly his clothes just getting ruined. He wouldn't die if he went in. He looked at his cold hands, the appendages numb as he watched a few stray lines drip lightly, white and black ink threatening to fall. Right?

He glanced at the inkwell, as if expecting the area to give him a solution that would give him the part. Nervously, Bendy watched Wally rub his hectic hands as he smoothed out the little loose ink, his body trembling.

Bendy stared, then clenched his teeth and eyes in frustration. His fists twitching at his side.

Fine.

Wally jumped when the toon whooshed past him into the ink. The second he realized it was Henry he shot over, falling onto his knees as he peered at the splash that rippled. He pulled at his ears, guilty at letting the other jump in, plunging his already weak hands in the dark waters.

Nothing! He wasn't here! Oh stars stars stars! He pulled back, reeling up to dive after the other, when an object collided hard with his face, knocking him backwards.

“Oof! It was down there!” Wally shook his head, eyes widening as he saw Bendy's head sticking up, already walking out; perfectly fine, not a drop of ink out of place. He looked at what hit his face, and sure enough it was the power core itself. He heard Bendy's footsteps as he reached for the core.

“There! Ya happy?” Wally sighed as he eased down. Okay, maybe he was a bit hypocritical to think he'd be fine and then panic as soon as Bendy did it. Now he knew how he felt. Still.

“ _Ow!_ ” Bendy pouted, glaring from the flick his friend gave him, only to see a gentle, caring smile. It had Bendy smiling big. Wally didn't know Henry could stretch his mouth so wide. It warmed him.

Wally placed a tender hand on the demon’s head, rubbing between his horns as Bendy let out a heartfelt giggle. The trouble maker. He’d have to keep a closer eye on him.

Wait, what was that he was holding? “Oh! I almost forgot! I found this under there too!” He lifted it up, and Wally was surprised to learn it was a recorder. He could see through the stuff?

A bit prompted by the other’s smile, Wally took the box carefully and pressed the button out of his own curiosity. There was static, possibly caused by the ink, and Wally's heart stilled when the person at last spoke.

"Only two weeks into this company,-y” Henry, _that was Henry._ “and already it's gotten interesting.” this was before he left. The message broke up, static taking its place once again, struggling to continue to play.

Bendy perked an eye, as he smiled in curiosity, “He... Sounds familiar?” That’s cause he’s you. Even though the devil spoke more high pitched, to Wally it was clear that it was still Henry’s without question.

“-J-Joey is a man of idea-s,” it started again, and Wally felt his heart ache, “and only ideas.” His tone, already tired and exhausted.

“ _Joey?_ ” Wally looked at ‘Henry’ himself, the toon no longer with a smile, but with a sad, confused expression. What was he thinking?

“When I agreed to-.st… -le. thing, _I thought there'd be a litt-tle more give and -t-take._ ” The recorder skipped. But Wally had an idea of what the missing words were, and Wally's hands tightened around the recorder, remembering how hurt Henry was.

“Instead I give, and he takes.” This was what Henry told him. He heard a light growl, and saw his friend upset at the words. Guess even a change in personality didn’t change Henry’s distaste for the man. It was almost reassuring.

“I haven't even seen Linda for days now.” And like that, Henry’s brow turned into curiosity. “Still, someone has to make this happen. When in doubt, just keep drawing Henry.”

“Henry?” Bendy interrupted, faint recognition in his eyes.

“On the plus side, I got a new character I think people are going to _love._ ” Wally's arms fell as the recording ended with a click, slumping over just as Bendy looked up at him.

“Isn’t that the guy you said was me earlier?” Bendy wasn’t wrong. But it was sad that was one of only things he remembered. Shouldn’t he remember everything else? “What do you think he meant by that?” Wally shrugged his shoulders in answer, his mind elsewhere. He could only assume that it was the ink itself manipulating his memories, leaving no hint to him being Henry.

And then, the realization Henry could never come back hit him again, this time tens of times worse than before. The tools he held dropped. No more talks. No more jokes. No more drawing lessons. No more assuring whispers. _No more Henry!_

He was _wrong._ He hadn't accepted Henry's condition like he thought he did. He faintly realized he was shaking. His heart pounding the worst it's been. He. He wanted the Henry he knew back. _He didn’t want to see him disappear before his eyes._

He shuffled towards the wall, resting his head between his arms. His arms squeezed in a stone grip. He shouldn't be crying in front of him. He should answer. He should give a reassuring smile. He should lie.

But he didn’t want to do that to Henry. When lies got them into this mess. When lies were the last thing he needed.

“Boris?” Please, he just needed a moment. Bendy walked forward, reaching a hand out to the other but stopped. He kneeled on a leg in front of the other, straining a forced smile that twitched as it tried to fall. “C-Come on pal what’s wrong?” Turn back.

Bendy stood as he zipped his head around then looked at Wally, tugging at the ends of his mouth to make a silly face. “ _Mm-ook! Seaze smurl!_ ” Turn back now.

"Boris?" Turnbackturnbackturnback.

Bendy’s smile fell as did his hands, “Boris, why-. You got the part.” he felt his body hiccup.

“ _P-Please look at me_.” The sad tone was enough to draw Wally’s head up, and his breath hitched as he saw his friend sniffling, looking like he was about to cry, “ _Just, talk. I don't. Know what to do._ ”

Wally’s eyes widened and he instantly pulled him into his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around his head. The action was enough to make the other freeze with his heart.

 _What was he doing? This WAS Henry. Why was he treating him like some nuisance?_ When Henry needed him? He was letting himself be as meek as ever and hurting Henry in the process, all ‘cause he wasn’t brave enough to face reality. He wouldn’t do this. Not again.

Wally released his hug and stood shakily. Making sure to pick up the power core he placed down. Bendy looked at him, seeing the fear in his eyes, but there was a newfound determination right along with it. Wally gave a shaky smile, then took out his paper and pencil, using the core to write.

“I’m sorry. I was just a little worried. I’m alright.” Bendy eased, happy he was actually getting an answer.

He slowly nodded, his face uncertain, “Was it about the angel?”

Wally hesitated for a second before deciding to nodd. “We better get back to Alice.”

Bendy looked away as he snared, “Don’t call her Alice.” Wally nodded, a bit surprised by his anger. Noted. Bendy’s face then relaxed and he asked towards him with concern, “Do we have to listen to her?”

Wally nodded again glumly, “She controls the elevator. It’s the only way to reach the top.”

Bendy looked as if he was about to argue, but then sighed and stopped what he was going to say. “Okay. But. be careful. Please?” Wally nodded, taking his friend’s hand as he lead him down the floor and Bendy let him. The recorder on the floor purposely forgotten.

As they walked forward, Bendy was glad that Boris actually talked to him, but it upset him not knowing what he refused to say. That he wasn't willing to tell him. But he was more concerned about their ‘current plan’. His friend let go when they were back at the room they were in before, and Bendy paused when they passed the doorway, catching sight of the writing on the wall.

Thinking about it, it was a little odd that he was suddenly so better at reading. He never really could before. Almost excited, he looked at the words. “I don’t want to work here anymore.” His smile fell as soon as he read it into a puzzled expression. What did that mean?

Hurriedly, he headed back to the other, Wally at the bars that blocked the shaft downwards. Bendy watched his friend push the button on the pillar that called the elevator back up. His hands fidgeted nervously as it came. Maybe, he could still convince him to stop?

Wally stepped in when the doors opened and went to press level 9. The doors closing with the two inside. As the elevator hummed, Wally quickly noticed Bendy's pouting as he stepped further from him.

“...I'm not happy with this.” He muttered, and Wally went to take a step toward him; but Bendy turned his head away. A forlorn look on his face, and it had Wally pause.

“This is a bad idea.” He knows, “We really could find a different way.” Wally looked away, gripping his overall straps.

The elevator continued its fall. “Something that can work. I'm sure of it.” He’s tried. Everything was blocked. _Everything._

“Honestly we don't need her.” he wished, “Let's forget this.” They couldn't.

“W-what if she's not back yet?” Level 9 came into view, and Wally's grip tightened as his breath hitched. Staring, at the closed metal gates ahead. “Let’s be safe about this.”

The doors opened, and Bendy was left in upset bafflement as the ‘elder’ toon got out. He stared, not understanding why he was doing this. Okay, forget what he said, he wasn't taking this chance at _ALL._ He rushed out, moving next to the other on the stairs and flailed his arms ‘stop’ to get him not to move closer. “ _Boris!_ ” He whispered in a hiss.

Wally stopped in front of the trash can, placing his tools and bag in front, bending down to open it. Bendy clenched his head with fear before harshly tugging on Wally's arm that held the power core. “ _Don't do this!_ ”

Wally flinched at the force and Bendy let go instantly, snapping his hands towards his body. Not meaning to hurt him so harshly. He was frowning, guilty at what he'd done. Wally saw this and stood, placing the cores in the trash can then knelt down before him to meet his eyes. Bendy refused to do the same and looked away as Wally placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“My is this a surprise.” They tensed as the angel spoke, “ _And here I thought I knew **exactly** what was going on._ ” She giggled, “ _But left or right it doesn't change the path~. It's all the same **LIE.**_ ”

Bendy growled as he pulled away, Wally subconsciously flinching at the loss of contact, “What ya babbling about? Ya know what, I don't care.” He pulled his hands into fists, “I know what you you want, and you can forget it! I ain't letting you take Boris!”

Wally tensed, fearing Bendy’s outburst would only set her off, but to his surprise, she giggled. Speaking up in her gentle voice, with ‘Alice’s’ singsong tone, “ _Hmm. So caring. So cartoonish! My I’d almost believe you were actually Bendy!_ ” _it amused her_ , “ **But you only have the face of him.** ” That didn't seem like she was talking about Henry.

“What did you say?!” Wally eyes widened as Bendy stomped forward with anger. Stars, he didn’t know she thought he was the Ink Demon!

He swooped forward gripping him under the arms, forcibly pulling him back to stop his crusade. His feet still kicking the ground. “ _I am Bendy!!!_ ” _Calm down Henry! Are you trying to get her mad?!_

“ _Oh! You believe that so wholeheartedly! Who knew under that soulless husk you were as **broken** as the rest of us!_ ” Her voice rose with her pitch, laughing at him.

“The terrifying Ink Demon, _**a monster AND a child!**_ ” Bendy stilled, and Wally felt his own distress for the devil at the motion.

She gasped, “ _And he doesn't know!_ ” Wally’s hold slackened in his confused state. It was possible she just utterly believed that Henry was the Ink Demon and so thought he was foolish to not suspect it, but he couldn't help but think she was referring… to something else.

“I-I’m not- I-” Wally jolted when he started speaking, Bendy looking at him with fearful eyes as he backed away from him. “She's lying. I'm not-” As if he expected he’d believe her.

“ _How exciting!_ _Oh. Let's not give away anything juust. yet~._ ” She cut off, drawing out the last two words. Her voice chipper than ever. And that seemed much more terrifying.

“You need to _escape_ after all.” Bendy almost eased at the subject change as he looked at her doors. “There's just two more tasks that need to be done. We can start with a little… removal of some grinning cutouts.”

That quickly changed, “ _What?!_ ” Bendy screeched at the order like if she was referring he'd be the one to be chopped, “We ain't doing anything for you!”

Before Wally processed what he said, Bendy grabbed hold of his wrist. “Come on pal.” Pulling him toward the bridge. Wally stumbled with the motion, silently protesting the choice. He wasn't sure when the demon decided to change his mind, though it must've been easy considering he didn't like it in the first place. But then the shutters closed, blocking them in.

“ _That's alright~. Boris could just stay here. **With me.**_ ” Wally swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. And Bendy's grip suddenly grew painful.

 _How dare she._ Wally could feel his anger as he released him. He watched as Bendy spun around and growled, yelling in a furious rage as he charged toward her closed doors.

Then he froze, Wally's warm arms wrapped around him from behind. His embrace stunning him. Holding him there in a desperate fixed spot. ‘ _Please calm down, I'm here, we’ll be okay_ ’ it said. He could feel Wally's worry through the hug meant to ease him. A click was heard, the pillar by the door opening to show a sturdy black ax.

Bendy looked at him with shock as Wally slowly pulled away, at a loss of what to say. The wolf stood, walking shakily over to grab the tool, the devil too baffled to stop him. As soon as Wally grabbed the weapon, Bendy heard the shutters slide up behind him. He watched him with a blank stare as he came back. Wally walking right past him without a word.

Bendy yanked at his hand, making his head jolt around to face him. Wally's ears raised in alarm as Bendy gripped his arm in a desperate hold, startled by the pull. But it was that look of his that took away his breath.

It was crestfallen in fear. His eyes, “Don't trust her.” _pleading with him_ , “ _She’ll kill you._ ”

Wally went cold, the warning making him quiver. The way he said it, so certain; like if he knew the future, and was desperate to change it. And was petrified of losing him each time he couldn't. Wally had to shakily pull out of his hold so he wouldn't yield and cease his endeavors then and there.

He walked back to the elevator, faster than he meant to. Pressing level K as soon as he could. Bendy barely making it inside when the doors closed. _It wasn't true._ He was hardly aware of this, his heart pounding rapidly and he had to throw down his bag and ax so he could breathe easier. _It wasn’t._

Her words echoed in his skull. Her song coursed through his body. It felt as if she was singing to him now. The melody consuming, trying to bring him to the fate she oh so laid out for him.

_He wouldn't he wouldn't!_

But despite his frantic reasoning, a voice said he would. Brutally. Cut open, organs replaced, eyes sewn with “X”s. His brain pictured a grotesque body with a steel halo wired to his head. It was only a second, but it was all too vivid, all too real.

Wally's head hit the elevator’s bars, his body sliding down in a slump. Trying his best to calm down as an impostor with his friend's voice watched him with concern.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A frustrating situation huh? Well, just two more chapters before something VERY interesting~.


	11. Siren Serenade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The siren sings her song,  
> Of prophecies and promises,  
> Of things you dream of.
> 
> The siren sings to  
> The God of the underworld,  
> As a guardian angel.
> 
> A song beautiful, serene  
> Perfect with her beautiful feathers.  
> But her god did not think so.
> 
> The siren had spread her wings,  
> But failed the god as their angel.  
> She fell with plucked wings
> 
> The siren now eats at sea.  
> Gone were her wings, but she still sings  
> Of a dream to spread her wings.
> 
> The dream her god took,  
> A dream promised, a dream robbed from her  
> cause she couldn't be their angel.
> 
> So her meal she draws near.
> 
> The siren tells the ships,  
> Of prophecies and promises,  
> Of things you dream of.
> 
> The siren offers them.  
> She sings, “they're in the sea, look here  
> Just come follow me”
> 
> The Siren Sings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is two chapters worth! Sh!t! Wow. But I just couldn't split this chapter up. Oooh boy.  
> Well. You're in for a ride. ;)
> 
> I recommend you to start rereading the chapters.

The light touching Wally’s face faded on and off as the elevator passed floor after floor. Wally’s gaze almost vacant as he thought. Wondering, if by the end of this, he’d end up as another Boris strapped to a table.

Her demented cackling screeched like thunder in his mind. Wally shut his eyes painfully to force the image away. He hugged his stomach as she laughed joyfully. The holes in her melted mouth and cheek stretching disgustingly wide as the sound vibrated in his mind.

Bendy looked across from him, sitting against the bars too with a sad expression. As much as he felt bad for saying he’d die, he wanted more so for his pal to realize this was a mistake. He looked down in guilt, rapping his knuckles on his legs. The elevator stopped at floor K and Wally flinched at the movement, but he didn’t get up and the other was happy not to either.

Wally glanced at Henry sitting, distracted. Pal, how’d ya get that spark of yours? And get me too while you’re at it? Again, Alice popped into his mind. This time, her hands within a bleeding, limp Henry. He sucked in a breath, looking away. A new fear coursing through him.

Hell knows he never had a reason to be hopeful before.

This studio was everything he knew, years worth of only worrying about himself... didn't quite mean a vacation. When. he met Henry, he’d accepted that he could, would, lose him, and it was just a matter of time ‘til they both hit the bucket. Stars, he swore that they wouldn't make it when they headed to that elevator. He hadn't. warned Henry, ‘cause he hadn't seen the point, and was too scared about himself to really focus on, someone he hardly knew. He expected to die, no matter what they did. But…

He. had gotten close, all ‘cause he didn't want to be alone. He hadn't wanted to, but It was like his heart instantly latched onto the guy. And, Henry stuck with him too. No one. Absolutely no one. Had been there by his side, helping him, protecting him. CARE for him. And worse. It gave him hope.

He hoped desperately that he was wrong about them dying. That it wasn't wrong to actually feel like they could get outta here. That they’d be free. And now, even with the truth he may die, he couldn't help but still HOPE. It was a small sliver of want that made him feel a bit more like who he used to be. Heh. He couldn't let it go if he tried, and it left him utterly regretting not warning Henry before. They'd probably been in a better situation if he had...

‘Bendy’ spotted the bag Wally had placed down, crawling over to peer inside curiously. So innocently. Wally gripped his arms as he realized he failed to mention a particular danger of the angel. And it was quite possible Henry hadn't figured out yet what she could truly do. He pulled out a paper shakily, writing down a simple sentence.

Henry needed to be warned, he couldn't fall in the same trap he had. But what danger she posed, and what happened to him, were two sides of the same coin. A coin black from the angel’s sea, lost amongst the shipwreck she orchestrated.

Wally bit his lip, the pencil he gripped unfocused against the paper within his trembling hands. He didn’t tell Henry why he was scared of Alice. He hadn’t told him about her at all.

About how she plagued his nightmares.

About how he never woke him ‘cause his screams were silent.

About how he knew each note of her haunting song.

About how he sealed off each door he could behind him.

About how he knew of those dead bodies.

About why he kept his torso wrapped.

And he didn’t need to know.

He heard metal clatter against metal, and saw Bendy fiddling with a soup can from the bag, looking at it as he struggled with it. Confused on how to open it.

That was one thing he didn’t need to worry about.

Wally clenched the paper in his hand when he reached over, grabbing the can from the surprised toon and easily popped the lid off. The demon instantly beaming as he gave it back to him. Bendy looked inside it for but a second, before turning the can completely upside down over his mouth.

Wally’s ears flicked up in shock. Bendy, his cheeks overstuffed, struggling to swallow. But Wally sighed when it forcibly went down, Bendy letting out a rough cough so he could breathe. Wally tried to smile as Bendy’s fingers dug inside the can and licked his fingers clean. Pff! Ha! What ya acting like me now? Trust me pal, we don't need two Wallys here. It ain’t good to do something I’D DO.

He smiled then sighed remembering his task. Carefully, he stood, uneasy as he picked up the axe. Bendy looked up at the motion and frowned as he stood too, but not before cleaning the can out and dropping it onto the ground. As Wally watched him come near, he decided to bring the wrench at the last second, placing it in his pocket. Just. In case Henry needed it.

Wally stood at the open bar doors. As he waited, he lifted the small paper he had and showed it to his friend. Turning around as soon as Bendy grabbed it. Bendy's eyes fell and he looked at the note curiously.

“When she sings, cover your ears.” Bendy looked up with a frown, watching as Boris headed toward the stairs. His heart jolted when he made his way to the small area behind them to a Bendy cutout.

Bendy rushed to stop him, but a second too late as the axe swung down. He flinched at the loud crack from wood being chopped. Bendy stared at the somber toon, his hands close to his chest as he felt a sort of dread course through him. He felt his body, start to tremble in mourning.

T-That was his cutout. He. l-loved his cutouts-.

Bendy's head snapped up to Wally rubbing the top of his horns. And Wally met his eyes as the devil stared at him stunned. It had taken one look at Bendy to make Wally put aside his fear. It wasn't nearly as important as the person he wanted to keep safe.

He brushed his thumbs under Bendy’s eyes, Wally wiping the tears on his face away with a weak smile. As if the grin was to make Bendy feel better just as much as himself. Bendy watched him as Wally left the small area behind the stairs back into the elevator.

The wolf continued on the stairs, axe in hand. But Bendy didn't follow right away. Instead he moved into the small cranny. Stepping at the remains of the broken Bendy cutout with a heavy heart. Transfixed on them, as he slowly picked up a piece of the wood.

His thumb brushed the slick surface delicately. The cutout’s smile broken at the edge, no longer a perfect model. Bendy found his gloved hand touching his soft, round face as he stared at it. Trailing the edge of his mouth where a smile should be, but instead there was a frown from seeing the sight.

Up the stairs, he heard a soft banging. Looking up, he saw Boris tapping the wood rail with the side of his axe. The wolf looking at him with worry. Bendy looked back at the peace he held, and put it back down with great care.

The toon turned back to Wally, reaching for the rail and trying to use the barrels by him to do so. But he struggled to climb over, staying stuck there. Well that’s one way over. Wally smirked at the silly display, reaching out a gloved hand for him.

But Bendy's swinging arm suddenly morphed to the Angel reaching for him, her demented smile highlighting her insane eyes.

Wally flinched back. Bendy him again. Below, he heard his foot skid against a barrel. Wally shook his head, and bent over the railing. Reaching for Bendy's flailing arm, catching it this time. The toon snapping his head up in surprise, before Wally pulled him over. Wally smiled lightly at him, contrasting his sad eyes, as he set his friend down gently.

Bendy looked at him with wide eyes, “You helped me? You never really did that before.” Wally perked an eye as he nodded. “Not in the show.” Ah. He meant the real Boris.

Wally wrote down a small note and gave it to Bendy before turning around and continuing up the stairs. Bendy looked at the note perplexed, “I'll always be with ya. I'm gonna help ya out no matter what nonsense. You're my pal.” Bendy stared at it, wondering if what he read was real. A warmth spread through him, and he clenched the paper as he pulled it closer to himself.

Bendy didn't follow Boris right away, instead he peered over the railing, staring at the broken wood below. The Bendy cutout a memory of what it once was. He shook his head, smiling. He liked his cutouts but he didn't need them.

He was perfect now. He could always look in the mirror if wanted to see his face.

Bendy pulled away from the rail. He better catch up with Boris. He happily gripped the paper, the one he didn't forget at the elevator, making sure to not lose it and hurried up after.

His feet hit wood as he reached the top of the stairs. Running across the balcony passed the many posters there. He approached the turn where Boris must have gone. When everything flashed white.

Bendy flailed his arms. The world shaking around him. Everything coming undone in a second. Like a burning reel. He fell, just as the shaking stopped.

Bendy squeezed his eyes while his mind tried to settle down. He blinked his eyes open, looking around him but nothing was amiss. He narrowed his eyes in confusion as he stood, dusting himself off. THAT never happened before.

Bendy heard a faint noise and spotted Wally peek his head around the wall. Watching Wally blink his eyes at the demon. Bendy stumbled over to him, smiling.

Wally gave a smile in return. But despite the expression, he watched his pal with concern as he made to move forward. He had barely caught that perplexed face the other had worn. It made him worry if Henry was still facing issues like this. But Bendy didn't seem to be bothered. He hoped not…

They passed an art desk as they entered the hall, the machinery in the walls pumping in rhythm, Bendy following behind. Wally gripped his overalls tightly as he took slow steps. As much as he tried to put on a smile, he couldn't stop thinking about… the Angel.

Wally bit his lip, that said smile faltering. Henry wasn't wrong. In fact, he was right about this being stupid, it was plain bonkers! And if he wasn't so desperate he would have never done her errands in the first place.

This was a mistake. But he ain’t got a choice either. He couldn't live here. Not just ‘cause he’d run out of food. But he had tried.

So long he’d longed for death.

“You're much nicer than in your cartoons!” Wally paused, looking at Henry smiling at him. Oh was he now? He smirked back.

“Just as stubborn though.” The Demon skipped around him. Wally chuckled, each movement restoring the life he’d lost a little more.

Wally looked at his friend gently. Guess hope makes ya do stupid things. Wally looked up at that thought. He DEFINITELY did stupid things at the start.

He had woken up in an odd place. Popping out of a flooded hole. His arms strained as he tried to keep himself up, weak as he struggled out. Looking up, there had been a broken pipe still gushing out ink above him.

He remembered looking at his hands before remembering his name. He remembered his unbridled fear when he realized that was all he knew, instinctively knowing something terrible happened to him before to get here. He remembered trying to scream, and his fear when nothing came out of his mouth.

He didn't know how long he wandered in the dark halls, slowly going up. All too quickly finding things he didn't want to find. He found the ‘lost ones’, and knew they were people like him, but none would follow. His only comfort, a bone he found.

Some days there were shadows that moved in his sight, he swore they whispered to him, some panicked, others trying to comfort him. These shadows came and went, and they felt almost painful when they appeared.

They appeared at that intersection again. The one where he had cowered from that mangled toon, the one where Henry had been so scared at from something that happened to him. Why did that seem so long ago? It was just today.

Wally eyed the giant Bendy statue to his left while he headed forward. Bendy merrily following, eyes stuck toward the stuffed cartoon plushies and shelves. Walking to the toy room, where the next cutouts were.

Wally had found what those shadows of moving ink were the hard way. In fact, he had found all sorts of monsters. Each one chasing, snarling, preventing him from going higher. Pushing him away from that dang exit.

His stomach dropped as he looked away. And instead of learning to handle them, he had. Just grown more terrified. Cause the more he had tried, the more it was like something was trapping him here on purpose. Each beast saying there was no way outta here. And he had began to listen. His smile twitched.

The Butcher Gang.

The three had backed him to the edge, the creatures muttering with distorted, almost words, sounds human but not. Only a hole above dripping light let their form to be seen. The room too dark for Wally to see where his fallen weapon laid.

His foot took a step back, feeling the end of the path leading to the broken floor behind him. He whipped his head behind him, the cavern black with shadows. And apparently that was the wrong move.

They screeched and ran toward him, knocking him backwards and forcing him to fall. His hands flailing with panic to stop himself. By sheer luck there had been a rope from who knows who to stop his descent into the endless dark below.

He hit something he wasn't sure what was, shutting his eyes ‘til he slowed to a stop. He heard monstrous chattering above his head, and despite how much his hands hurt, waited ‘til they walked away.

Wally hit the third and last cutout in the room, the memory fading from his mind. He lifted his head, looking for his pal. The devil not by him. Henry?

He heard toys clatter to the floor, and rushed to the next aisle. His shoulders relaxing as he saw Bendy tightly hug the Bendy plush he pulled out to his body, a huge grin on his face. Wally smiled lightly, and looking behind the toon, to his amusement, saw a whole pile of Bendy dolls. With only one Alice and Boris. He perked an eye walking up to Bendy. Well mister, how ya plan on carrying all that treasure of yours?

Bendy saw him, and grinned even brighter. “Look Boris!” He squeezed his toy, it letting out a loud squeak. Wally's grin grew more chipper too as he looked over the toys.

“They're mine! You can't have them!” Wally snickered, and he narrowed an eye playfully. You really like your face don't ya? Someone’s more arrogant than they look~.

Bendy's head tilted as he looked up curiously. Letting out an excited gasp. Wally watched him put down the toy and rush to the shelf. A bit delighted himself as Bendy tried climbing it.

He couldn't help it, one second he was putting down his axe, and the next, lifted Bendy up from under his arms. Putting him face to face with the shelf in a one swift motion. Bendy blinked before grinning. Grabbing the Bendy plush before him eagerly, the toy giving a little squeak.

Wally grinned, Bendy already hugging the toy as he brought him back down. Aw~. Henry, he. Looked so happy.

From the corner of his eye, he saw another Bendy doll at a broken crate. Despite it being unnecessary (they couldn't keep all the dolls) he strode over. Eager to keep that smile on his pal, and himself. He slid the old box to the side with only a little effort. Revealing the soft toy.

He picked it up, and frowned the second he saw its face. But before he could toss it, it was snatched out of his hands. He went to grab it back but stopped. Watching with growing worry while Bendy's smile fell when he looked at it the toy.

The doll was perfect everywhere. No stuffing out of place, and only a little wet with ink. But it's smile was different than the others. Instead of round, it was long and pointed, sharp. A twisted grin on an innocent toy. Wally's eyes fell, and he moved to take it back.

“No No! I kind of like it.” Bendy stepped away, gripping the doll tighter. Wally's eyes widened and Bendy eased when Wally showed no sign he was going to take it.

Bendy looked at the toy with an uneasy smile, “I mean, I like the others better, but. it doesn’t deserve to be hated cause someone made it like this.”

He looked at him, “...Right?” It almost sounded like a question. Wally nodded a yes, and Bendy eased just a little. As Wally went to pick up his axe, he saw Bendy's eyes trailing back on the toy.

Wally headed to the door. Bendy ignoring his collected pile as he followed, and instead hugging the mispainted toy to his chest. It hurt to see it. So he stressed a grin toward the toon. Bendy didn't seem to notice and the devil's mouth continued to be pointed downward.

Now that did hurt Wally. He hated seeing that smile gone. Bendy, no Henry's sudden change in mood, reminded Wally of how Henry had acted when they had to attack the searchers. This place, liked erasing smiles didn't it?

Just outside the door stood the cutout he used to prank Henry with. He felt a tug on his heart about breaking this one. And he swore his pal flinched too as he brought the axe down.

The Projectionist.

“Crawww!!!” The light flashed on him, blinding, despite it only pressing on his back. He ran past the old, enormous train, stationed and dead. The thick river slowing him. A constant, rapid click from the playing reel behind him.

It screeched again, reaching for his leg. It's black hands grabbing him. Wally hit the ink hard as he was brought down. Ink splashing every which way. He felt the cold waters chill his skin, piercing like ice.

Wally’s heart raced as he turned his body. The light above him shining in his eyes as he threw a chunk of ink at it’s light. It screeched like a dying animal as it let go of him. Flailing it's head while it clawed at its bulb trying to see.

Wally didn't waste any time he could as he struggled back up, staggering with sore legs. Frantically running with all his might to get away. It screeched again venomously, echoing loudly behind him, still trying to see.

Wally peered through the door, his nerves flared once again. Bendy stopped next to him, barely brushing his side. Wally turned his head, and felt dread at seeing the flooded floor before him. He swallowed. Ooh. W-was it too late to crawl through the air ducts?

He felt Bendy tense and he couldn't blame the fella. With the art desk here he had always wondered what ideas, what thoughts were made here. Cause he had a good idea of who's room this belonged to.

“I hear something.” Well that was the worst reassurance ever.

Wally took a deep breath and walked further in. Stepping into the acid like ink with hesitance. Glancing around him, he saw a Bendy cutout right by his side, he heard something splash as he raised his axe. “Stop!” He felt a tug on his overalls just as Bendy rushed in front of the cutout, protecting it.

“S-she doesn't need this one! There's. There's so many ahead.” Bendy pressed his back on the cutout, looking at him with pleading eyes. Wally instantly lowered the axe, looking at him with concern. Buddy? “Just. Let’s keep one. It won't mat-ter.” Bendy stuttered.

So you're shift in mood gots ya regretting this huh? Wally subconsciously opened his mouth, but shut it. If he had a voice he would have said yes. But before he could answer in writing, he remembered why he couldn’t and shook his head no. She was watching. Always.

“She won’t let us.” Bendy stiffened at his writing, going silent. Wally's frown deepened, but he forced it into a smile, and reached toward Bendy to comfort him. Just as the toon started growling. Wally's ears fell as his worry grew to fear for him. Bud?

Bendy hit his hand away. Wally yanked his hand back in shock at the other. His smile gone. And his heart sank at the devil looking down away from him, his mouth a cold snare.

“That voice. Where is it?” Bendy growled out the word.

Voice? Wally's eyes narrowed, and that’s when he did notice a faint sound. He debated with himself as he looked at his friend, but considering his ‘mood’, decided to look for the source. He turned his head around the room and noticed something broken right beyond the cutout. A box sticking out of the thick ink.

Wally walked up to it, and picked up what was by the chair there. A familiar, broken recorder he’d seen before, speaking louder out of the ink. The voice still clear despite the scrambled words. “drea-min…” Joey Drew’s words. It hadn't been hard to figure out who it was the times he played it. “have to b-. believe.-”

He heard a splash and saw Bendy looking at the recorder. And in seconds he saw Bendy’s sad face morph into an angry snarl before stomping away. Oh Henry… He dropped the recording and hurried toward him, but paused when he saw the Bendy toy Bendy had dropped in the ink. It's face so much like the one he knew with the ink on its face.

He glanced at Bendy leaving the room before swiping the doll up and rushing after. Come back! Forget the cutout. Unless Alice brought it up, his pal was way more important.

The fallen recorder still spoke in the ink, threatening to sink further in. Only saved by the extreme thickness of the ink. It's sound buzzing, echoing as the two disappeared.

“W-Who is the man-, behind the monster?”

The Ink Demon.

He ran, his feet stomping on wood as the Demon chased him relentlessly. Not easing as he turned the corner heaving. The lanky creature giving an unholy whine as it stumbled on its own crooked feet. The demon scratching the wall as it turned, not slowing down.

The pounding heartbeat Wally heard, too loud to be his own, vibrated all around the hall. The living shadows in its walls pleading to him. Their screeching voices making his thoughts still with terror. Each one screaming, yelling for him to _stay._

Wally spotted a door and ran through it. Shutting it tightly behind him, baring it closed. And his head spun as the Ink Demon screeched in dismay. His body shaking terribly as he stepped away, eyes locked on the door. When there was a sudden bang from it.

The demon's shadows crawled from underneath the door like snakes, edging toward him and turning the room black. His feet stumbled backwards into a wall as he watched the door petrified. The Demon barging into it again and again making the door bend and shake with each impact it tried to break in. It’s unholy screeching loud and deafening, calling out for him.

And Wally realized with horror that the door wouldn't be able to hold. The scream filled chorus of the shadows joined the demon in its cry. Calling out to him as he ran.

Henry! Wally grabbed Bendy's shoulder, stopping him in the new room. Bendy jolted around, looking like he was going to yell. But paused when the toy was shoved in front of his face. He blinked before slowly grabbing the toy.

He looked at it, and started sniffling, tears streaming down his face in black lines. Then his face turned into an angry sneer, his breaths short and fast with his tears. Becoming louder, angrier, with each breath. Wally automatically went to hug him, but Bendy stepped backwards to get away from the touch.

Wally's hand drooped, then he went to grab the paper he had, touching his wrappings as he pulled it out. A quick darting of his eyes, and Wally finally noticed they were in the ‘Alice Angel’ room. Of all the places.

Wally dismissed it, and wrote on the little space he had. “Do you remember Joey?” It looked like Henry still did, but what painful parts did he remember. Bendy didn't look happy when he saw the note.

“Do I...?” Bendy gripped the toy harder in his hands, “Do I!?” Bendy screeched it, his eyes shut with misery, and Wally flinched back at his anger. Bendy bent over as if in pain. The flashing memories playing on repeat.

“He hurt me! He hurt us!” Bendy hugged his toy, the screams, arguments, zipped through his mind.

“ _I thought things would get better._ ” His voice croaked. Joey had promised-

“And yet I couldn't give what he wanted.” Bendy's body shook. “He wanted more. And I wasn't.” What had gone wrong?

“He-” His voice broke. “He.” He remembered so little-

He felt a hand on his shoulder and whipped his head up. His anger disappeared when he met Wally’s eyes, and his face contorted with his sobs. He pressed his cheek against Wally's hand, smearing the ink on his face. Nothing made sense.

He growled, “Joey! He's- gr! A liar! A-a monster! A cr-” Wally pulled him into his arms. And Bendy welcomly pressed his head into his chest. There was a loud sniffle from the spot. "A a-angel.” Wally hugged him tighter, and the devil posed his hands between him and Wally in a desperate yet light touch in return. Wally took that as ‘he remembered plenty.’ An Angel. That evil huh?

"...A. demon.” The word was hesitant, late. As if Bendy had reluctantly just admitted a horrible secret. Wally rubbed his back hoping it'd say what he couldn't.

Bendy curled his fingers in his clothes, letting his tears fall, “ _I was there for so long._ ” There had been so many days, that he wanted to see her face.

Wally's eyes fell half lidded. So he did remember getting overworked. At least somewhat. Wally laid his head against his friend's own, rubbing his gloved hand behind his horns in comfort.

Wally stood there, over him. Staying there no matter how uncomfortable his body ached from the odd position, due to his too tall height. At least, not until he swore Bendy stopped crying.

Wally pulled away slightly, and went to write again. He looked at the paper disappointedly. He was running out of space to write. Carefully, he wrote smaller, trying to save room and folding the sheet for easier reading. Showing it to the Demon only when Bendy looked at him, and he spoke with pencil. “I ain't gonna cut that cutout.”

Bendy's eyes widened, “Really?”

“It's safe from me! Let's hide it if she asks about it.” Bendy grinned brightly at him, his mouth stretching so unbelievably wide it narrowed his eyes. His toy squeaked.

And Wally smirked. U- _hem_. “You know a “thank you” means you're happy with what someone did for ya.” He wrote teasingly.

But Bendy didn't seem to get that or ignored it, and just tackled his body into Wally. “ _Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You!!!_ ” He said quickly, thrilled as his rubbed his face affectionately against his chest.

Wally steadied himself, and looked down at Bendy happily. Patting his back sweetly. Heh. Guess when Henry was like this, he was upgraded to ‘Uncle Wally’. But he wasn't going to tell Henry that.

Perhaps it was the sad reminder of who this really was, but Wally stepped back. But the next note he gave, he made sure to keep his smile. “That's better. The Dancing Demon should be smiling after all.”

A flicker of something crossed Bendy's face but Wally missed it as Bendy continued his happy smile. “Heh. Heh! You're right!” Bendy laughed, “I have nothing to be sad about!”

Wally chuckled too. Oh yeah? Cause I decided not to trash a _precious_ cutout? Bendy grabbed his hand, “‘Cause I have you!” Bendy smiled brightly at him, a bit of ink still touching the ends of his eyes.

Wally felt a warmness in his chest at the unexpected words. He would have been left speechless even if could talk. And when the little devil started to drag him to the next room, he let him.

He laughed a little, mute, as he looked at his paper. He had ran out of space. Darn. He placed the notes back in his overalls. It shouldn't be an issue. He swore he saw some paper glued to the walls somewhere. Hopefully with no monsters.

Wally looked at the back of his friend's head. Bendy's liking to those cutouts reminded him of a certain someone. Though, as far as monsters went.

Sammy wasn’t too bad.

“My savior, I ask that you set us free once more.”

Wally walked the halls as he heard him preach. “I offer this sacrifice as my thank you!” He bit his muzzle. It sounded like someone was in trouble. He’d have to leave this area as soon as he could.

“And thanks to my volunteer.” Wally whipped his head around, meeting the piecut eyes of the worn down head of a Bendy cutout. “He will set us free.” Sammy whispered, the masked prophet raising the wrench he gripped.

Stars it was him! Wally barely avoided the swing that came at him. But the muscular man of ink was fast and Sammy swung again, forcing Wally to jump to avoid the blow. Crashing onto the floor with a thud. And before Wally could move proper, Sammy was stomping on his stomach, pressing hard and trapping Wally in place.

The musician leaned forward, gripping Wally’s overalls to bring him to face the mask he wore. The hole in the mouth, shaped a different smile than the one on the worn Bendy face.

The toy workshop seemed smaller than he remembered. But of course a overhead conveyor holding ‘multiple’ shelves was blocking his way. Great. His habit of blocking off routes was biting him in the neck.

Guah! He hated work! Wally sighed as he made to take off his bag- He left the bag. Wally slapped his forehead and shook it. Yeah okay, this was fine. It can’t be hard to fit through this thing. Bendy watched Wally look through the biggest of the thin spacings, a smile still on as he looked curiously.

Alright! It looked like a tight squeeze but he could fit. Wally turned his body sideways, and tried to scoot through. Bendy looked away as Wally struggled, as the space was indeed too small as he expected. That’s when he noticed a small gap by the wall caused by Wally’s pushing. He perked an eye and bent down, crawling through to the hidden space.

There- Guah! Something bumped the shelf, the hit forcing Wally backwards. What the? He looked at the shelf and noticed that the space he had, was just a bit smaller than it was a second ago. Wally blinked and tried to push the shelves out of the way, only giving way slightly before stopping all together. Stuck.

Seriously? He groaned. Darn old machinery. Then his ears flew up. Wait! He pulled out the wrench from his pocket. Aha! See? He wasn’t stupid after all!

Bendy heard the clanking of metal but was more invested with what was on the table. He removed a hand from his toy and poked the Bendy made of ink in the bowl. He gasped excited when it bounced like it was alive, the clump falling into a perfect shape of Boris. He grinned bigger. It was mini-thems! Bendy touched the figure again and it bounced, turning into another would be toy. An Alice. Heh. Maybe he’ll see her one day.

Wally stretched with his wrench to get in the workings of the track above him, really putting pressure on some of the chain. Grr. This probably would be easier if the drive was say, in reach and not in the actual machine! But _no_ , he had to try to get the conveyor moving without it. Which was nearly impossibl- He heard something snap. Hey that sounded good.

Bendy heard it and turned his sight away from the odd, almost familiar to him box like shape the ink mass had taken. He peeked his head out of his space, eyes wide as he stepped out to look. There was a shriek of metal before the shelf crashed down. Cracking the wood floor, and there was a comic slow second as the shelf teetered forward. Making a loud thud as it hit the floor. Having crushed Wally if it had gone the other way. The metal piece that had held it, broken.

And Wally’s eye twitched with his mistake. Or rather, from the loud _noise_ that had made. H-how did he survive this long? He was supposed to be _good_ at mechanics.

He heard clapping and saw Bendy cheering him for his no doubt ‘cartoon performance’, clearly on the other side. Wally narrowed his eyes in self conscious confusion. ...How did you get over there?

Wally shook his head as he put his wrench back in his pocket. He made to step around the shelf, struggling to manerour around for good footing, pausing midway to go back for his axe he had placed down. Bendy chuckled, “Can you show me how to be as cartoony as you!”

Wally nodded only half thinking, a bit offended, as he nudged Bendy to the doorway. Bendy gave a squeal of cheer as he got the message and skipped forward. Wally’s gaze fell downward as he followed behind. His eyes slanting when he noticed an odd stumble to his pal’s walk. There, with almost each step he took. Bendy's knees pointed slightly inward as the toon happily bounced. Wally frowned, he must have hurt himself when he tripped earlier. Poor guy.

“Oh!” Wally halted as Bendy paused and hit the side of his head, “I should have realized! Boris, the angel ain't a problem!” Bendy turned his head around to him, “I’ll just protect you!”

Wally gulped as he nodded. Satisfied, Bendy turned around and continued on. Whistling as he skipped. Oh he hoped he didn't.

Wally felt his heart quicken, his breathe halting in his throat. Nothing could stop him from thinking of her could it? It felt like his body was already dripping black blood.

Now the Angel. She was one hell of a monster. Right next to the Ink Demon and his Prophet. But.

But the Prophet was nothing compared to the Angel.

“I am sorry for this.” Sammy uttered above him, “But sacrifices must be made. He will be.” He raised the wrench. “Perfect.”

Wally shut his eyes, preparing for the hit, when he heard a faint sound. Sammy must have heard the noise too cause he slammed his hands around his head, sending Wally thudding to the ground. He could breathe again when Sammy stepped off of him, but all of Wally's attention drifted away from the man. He peeked open his eyes as he made out the sound much clearer.

Was that, singing?

“The angel interrupts the Demon’s gift wrapping once again.” It was so. “Too bad I can’t risk staying.” Pretty.

Wally hardly heard him. His ears instead trained on the quiet, velvet voice as it grew just a bit louder. Through foggy eyes, he saw the shadowed form of the man pull out something long and wrap the object around his head, a second blink and he was gone altogether.

He rose, his body moving on its own accord. His feet walking him toward the beautiful sound. It was so gorgeous. A high pitched tune that rocked up and down in waves. It was so soft. Softer than anything he heard before. His feet stumbled, almost tripping over objects he didn't see. He faintly felt him pull open a door.

 _I’m. just a. lonely. angeel~._  
And his body sway as it took twists and turns. His shoulders brushing against wood.

 _Sitting. here. on. a. sheeelf._  
He faintly noticed a sea of ink. Reflecting light brightly. Beautifully.

 _At times. it seeemed._  
But everything was so… _hazy_.

 _If I. just dreamed._  
Yes, this was what it was, a dream. The most pleasant dream. Or maybe he died and was finally feeling peace. He saw creatures, butcher gang abominations- no.

 _I’d. not. be. by. myseeelf._  
He bumped into a sailor. They were people. Joining him to hear the song of the sea. There was nothing to worry here. A feeling of security coursed through him unlike any time he ever did in the studio.

 _I. never. gave up. hoping._  
The melody was louder, a chorus echoing the melody, edging him on faster. Vaguely, he noticed the comfortable room around him. A couch with a light shining at the entrance behind a curtain.

 _That. you. would. come alooong._  
Was this a bedhome? Ah a home. His hand trailed across the dresser with a woman’s mirror. His home.

 _How bleak. it. seeemed._  
Why had he been so scared again? The light blinded him, the song louder, but his eyes remained opened. Everything a heavenly white. He saw a tall figure against the light, opened arms reaching warmly to him. Welcoming him.

 _‘Til. you. found. me._  
No they were wings. An Angel sent from above, here to protect him. Love him. This. He wanted this so badly.

“ _So now I. sing. this. sooong._ ”

A shape appeared out of the corner of his eye, and as the delightful singing came to a gentle pause, he started to make out its form. He realised it was a table. Tilted upward with straps at the sides. He looked to where the Angel had been curiously, his mind coming out of its fog.

Only to see the siren lose her wings as she raised her arms. Smiling for _him_ as her face showed a missing, glowing eye. And it took him too long for him to come out of his daze.

His eyes widened as she swung her axe.

Wally clenched the axe he had and swung it, striking down the Bendy cutout. He tried not to look at it as he moved to the next. Body rigid as he moved to the couch with at least five cutouts against it. Don’t. Don’t think about that. He let a shaky, unsteady breathe.

Bendy let him be, walking around the toy wonderland among the rails. Hearing the smashing of wood behind him but not focusing on them. He paused, tilting his head as he looked at one of the Bendy cutouts. He grinned brightly when he noticed the mustache above its smile. Like from his cartoons!

“Boris! Boris! Look at this one!” Wally sighed, trying to ease his nerves, and turned his head around. But whipped his head back when he heard something. His ears falling down when his eyes found what. No. His shoulders trembled.

“Boris?” Bendy looked at his pal. But he wasn’t looking his way, but at the top of the stairs. Paralyzed with fear. Bendy trailed his line of sight, and his heart jolted at what he saw.

Wally watched Alice smile sickenly at him by the door way, her eye glistening with insane glee. Twiddling her black fingers in a sweet girl hello with a flirting tilt of her head. And when she used that hand to pull down a switch right next to her, that he hadn’t seen before, did he actually notice the axe she held hanging at her side. Broken wood at her feet. He swore she laughed.

Bendy growled, moving to charge up the stairs when his sensitive hearing heard a splash. He turned his head around, seeing a searcher spring up from the boards. He perked an eye then smiled, another splash meeting his horns.

“Hello! What’s your name?” He walked to them, the other groaning as it crawled toward him as well. “Okay! Are you here to help us against that Alice-” The creature swung at him, Bendy’s eyes going wide as it barely missed him. “fake…”

The creature swung again just as Bendy heard much more splashing, and he jumped back. “H-hey! Why are you _attacking?!_ ” He dodged again. _This wasn’t right._

Bendy whipped his head around, seeing that the room was flooded with at least twenty of the ink cartoons. Bendy’s eyes shrunk with fear as a searcher narrowed in behind Boris. The wolf still frozen, staring.

Bendy charged forward, tackling Wally and pushing him away of the strike’s path. Wally stumbled as he tried to keep standing, suddenly aware of everything, but Bendy's hand grabbed his own, preventing his fall. Wally looked around him as he straightened. His eyes widening with fear. And that’s when they heard another switch.

Wally’s heart pounded as more ink appeared from the floor. Forming into the familiar mangled faces of the Butcher Gang. Multiples of them. He heard a yelp and paled when he saw Bendy fall to the ground from a hit. He ran over to grab him when something grabbed his arm and he whipped around to see the black form of the searcher holding him. He raised his axe automatically.

Bendy shook his head as he stumbled back up and turned around to see Boris, axe in hand. “No!” He shouted running to him, “Don't hurt them!” He tugged on the arm with the weapon, pulling him away from the searcher and stopping him from attacking. The searcher lunged for them with its long arms but missed. Avoiding them by a fraction. Wally looked behind him at Bendy in utter disbelief, eyes minuscule. And heard another switch.

Wally slowly turned his head around at the giant splash. His heart leaping into his throat at the legless searcher ten times the size at the others, peering down at him. And as he looked at the simple top hat at the top of its head, it lit a spark of a long lost memory.

_Shawn?_

The enormous being moved, knocking back the much smaller creatures. It's hanging elongated jaw gapping slightly as if trying to talk. Looking at them with it's missing eyes.

Wally took a step backwards transfixed on it and felt another pull tug on him. “Boris!” Bendy pulled harder and forced him into a run. Dragging him, avoiding the swinging head of a Barely. Bendy rushing to maneuver through the attacking horde. Wally turned his head back as he ran, to up the stairs, the angel, no longer in the workshop.

Wally whipped his back and grabbed hold of Bendy with both hands, lifting him up onto his shoulders. The wolf adjusting course, not noticing his fallen weapon. When Bendy stopped swinging his arms he blinked, then grinned. “Well this is much better!”

Wally sidestepped and nearly tripped avoiding another lunging searcher. He held tight on the Demon and headed away from the stairs through the giant doorway on the right. The creatures practically striking at his heels as he ran down the hall.

Wally skidded to his stop and silently screamed when he saw the shut metal doors in front of him. The ones he had left open. The Angel…

A Edgar gargled behind him, swinging its mangled arms, and Wally felt Beldy grip onto him tightly as he stumbled back. Wally darted his eyes around seeing more monsters crawl through the hall. Oh no no nononono.-

The vents. Wally grabbed hold of Bendy and ran to the wall, dropping to his knees and placing the toon on the floor. Quickly lifting the vent door up with his hand and shoving the demon to move in the hole. Bendy looked at him with worry, “Bori-” but Wally pushed him further in. Come on go!

Bendy listened and crawled on, but Wally caught his fear. Wally made to follow but was hit in the back, HARD. His mouth opened in pain but nothing came out, and his head nearly flew into the wall. _He tasted something bitter._ On a whim he remembered his wrench and grabbed and swung it, striking the Barley there and sending it back.

Wally took advantage of that and rushed inside the vent. The thing slamming shut as he disappeared. He flinched when the horde struck the gate furiously, repeatedly. Wally hurried through, and he didn't ease as he crawled to catch up with the demon. The pounding behind vibrating in the space.

He found him at an intersection.

Bendy gave a small smile at seeing him alright as he reached him. Wally felt some relief as well despite his raging heart at seeing him safe. He tapped Bendy's shoulder and pointed left. Slowly, Bendy understood and followed the path, the two still hearing the banging of the monsters left behind. Eventually, the two ended up in a small thin hall.

Wally sighed and hit his head against the wall after they crawled out, trying his best to ease his breathing. He licked the inside of his mouth and tasted that bittness again, ink. His blood. He took another deep breath. Upon opening his eyes, Wally looked to the side. There, he noticed Bendy standing, staring at him worriedly.

With some effort, Wally pried himself from the wall and stepped forward, brushing his gloved hand over Bendy's horns. Wally gave a reassuring smile, and Bendy's mouth twitched before he smiled too.

Wally looked down the hall. They were a good while off from the elevator here. He frowned slightly but walked on, not trusting the area to stay safe, and Bendy followed on. But now he was left with the same question. The same doubts.

Should they go through with the tasks? The answer should be a obvious no, but. he couldn't decide. Wally knew he wasn't exactly the best at decisions and that's probably what it was. He. Wanted to get outta here _SO badly_.

The trip to familiar territory was drenched in silence but Bendy didn't mind it. And he didn't seem to notice how Wally clenched his wrench tighter either. Instead, Bendy was thinking on how glad he was to have Boris. Even if he acted differently, he decided he liked this version.

This version… Bendy tilted his head and looked at his pal. REALLY looked at him. Boris. Looked a bit different than his cartoons. Taller, a thinner nose. But especially with that weird cloth around his torso. It. Bothered him a little.

Wally listened to his heavy steps as he pondered what to do. Alice just tried to kill them. Or at least played an evil game. And either of them meant bad news on their ‘deal’. Guah. Why couldn't he say no?

Alice's malicious grin from the factory appeared in his mind, turning suddenly sweet and sending a chill down his spine. Would she ever let him go? Was he really so desperate to consider continuing her errands when she practically gave proof she wasn't going to keep her word? Wally was pried out of his thoughts when he felt a tug on his wrappings.

Wally's eyes widened and he whipped around to snatch the cloth in Bendy's hands. His heart pounding. It was only when he noticed Bendy's shocked expression that he noticed his mistake. And he took a step back in horror before looking away in shame.

“...She did that. Didn't she?” Bendy whispered the words, but it didn't hurt Wally any less. And he felt worse when he looked back and saw the shocked anguish on his face. Though he wasn't surprised.

The deep scars were clearly visible. A beautiful grey contrast against the black. The crossing groves the perfect length, to fit the cut of a sharpened axe.

Wally couldn't take it. He snapped his gaze away from him, and fell against the wall behind him. Using the bandages to poorly cover himself as he cradled his body.

Bendy had been clenching his fist in anger, but that dissipated upon seeing the other. “Boris?” A lump forming in his non-existent throat as he strode up to his pal.

Bendy smiled gently, "Hey. It’s not that bad.”

You weren’t supposed to see!

“Ugh... I know!" He grinned, "You just need something you want!”

Wally curled more inward. You weren’t supposed to worry! You're the one that's got to be looked after!

Bendy sat next to him, thinking. “Would you like me to fight the angel?” Wally shook his head no rapidly.

Stop. Stop looking at him like that.

Bendy's smile fell, “Then.. would you like my mini-me-” He looked at his hands. Oh. He dropped it. “Um.. Would you like something else?”

Henry. He wanted Henry. The real him. Wally didn't realize he was nodding, but regretted the action as soon as he did.

"I-Is that a yes?!” Wally met his gaze when Bendy zipped closer. And knew from those pleading eyes he wouldn’t leave it. And the longer he looked, the more he realized they weren't completely true.

He pulled out his paper from his pocket. The sheets too covered with writing. Those eyes only showed a part of what was there. They felt and spoke, but the harsh fact was they were still a lying gaze. And deep behind them, hid what was actually true. Wally looked around him, and saw a small puddle of ink. Bendy didn't exist. He dipped his pencil in it. And wrote in dark, black letters. He wanted who did.

“Henry”

Bendy frowned at the words. H-Henry? Not. Bendy swallowed. Not. me?

Bendy gave a smile, his mouth twitching with the strain. “I’m here for ya!” He grabbed Wally’s hand. “Smile! You shouldn’t be sad.”

Wally looked at him and gave a tired, stressed grin. It. It hurt. Why did it hurt? He was doing this all day. The grin instantly fell and Wally slammed his head against his knees, cradling himself again.

“B-Boris?”

Not Boris. He wasn’t Boris. “Boris?” Boris’ _got killed and mutilated._

“Pal?” He was Wally. He was _Wally._ Guah! Was he crying? Why couldn’t he stop? He _needs_ to stop.

Bendy looked at Boris at a loss. Not understanding why. Why Boris said that name. ...That’s. what he wanted?

Wally gripped his bandages, his tears staining them ever so slightly. ...Why was he so weak? His body shaking with his quiet sobs.

“W- Wally?” He picked up his head slowly, not sure if he heard right. To see ‘Bendy’ carrying himself differently, more rigid. And stronger eyes. “Wally what happ-”

Wally lunged forward, squeezing Henry in a tight embrace. “Ech!” The small man jolting. He squeezed tighter, making sure this was real.

 _It really was him._ Wally’s tears fell more easily, and it wasn’t long before Henry was hugging back. “I… I missed you too?” Wally choked a sob at the words.

A little too short and Henry was already pulling away. Perking an eye in concern. “Are… you okay-” Henry cut himself off, and Wally realised he saw his scars. He reeled backwards, grabbing his bandages. But then Henry grabbed his hands, stopping his movements.

And to Wally’s amazement. Henry stayed quiet, as he wrapped the cloth strip around him. Going behind him and back with each row. Wally blinked as Henry tucked the ends of the coth in.

Wally moved to stand, but Henry stopped him, forcing his shoulder down. “Take your time.” He listened, the words releasing a new wave of tears. Henry adjusted the wrapping to look nice as he did so. And to perhaps as an excuse for Wally to try not to stop, Henry took the end back.

“Not everyone can pull a smile like you.” Henry tied the knot. “What was it you told me? At least five years here? You’ve got to be one of the strongest people I’ve met.”

...Was he?

They stayed there awhile, and not once did Henry pry into what happened to him. Though Wally knew Henry figured it out. Still. It was quiet. And for once in a long time. Wally didn't feel... hopeless.

"Okay.” Henry took a step back as Wally wiped his tears. A real, soft smile on his face. “Things are kind of fuzzy. Mind filling in the gaps on how in Sam Hill we got here?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it seemed like people thought Alice wasn't 'scary', and that Wally seemed... well, 'meek'.  
> I wanted to emphasize, that 'meek Wally' is someone Wally is still dealing with, but is. Getting better.
> 
> My my though. Just a few days and Wally has already improved this much? Very impressive comforting Henry.  
> \----
> 
> Just. one. more. chapter. OOOHHH. Curse you finals! I wanted to write the next chapter since I started this story! I'm so excited.  
> Edit: No no people. You misunderstand~. It's not one more chapter 'till this story is finished. **It's one more till the show _truly begins._**


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